20 Oct Two Men Indicted on Capital Murder Charges in Fatal San Juan H-E-B Parking Lot Shooting

Two men were indicted Oct. 8 on capital murder charges in the July 16 shooting death of 40-year-old Hervey Marin De Leon at a San Juan H-E-B, according to court records.

Juan Samuel Olguin of Alamo and Michael Anthony Lopez of Pharr, both 19, remain jailed on bonds of $1,202,500 and $735,000, respectively, per jail records. Olguin also faces three possession charges, and Lopez faces an additional charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Olguin is set to be arraigned Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Lopez on Oct. 28.

San Juan police went to the lot around 11 a.m. July 16 after callers reported gunshots and two cars racing off, according to a release from Police Chief Leandro Sifuentes. Detectives tied the shooting to a white Chevrolet Malibu, occupied by De Leon and his brother, and a black Dodge Charger, driven by Olguin with Lopez riding along. De Leon was taken to a McAllen hospital with several gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead, police said.

De Leon’s brother told investigators he took De Leon to the lot to buy drugs from Lopez, the release says. According to the brother, he remained behind the wheel while Lopez climbed into the Malibu’s back seat, where De Leon was waiting, then saw Lopez shoot De Leon and return to the Charger. He drove De Leon to the hospital.

Lopez was detained afterward and told police that Olguin took him to the lot to carry out a drug deal, the release says. He said De Leon pulled out a handgun, which led him to draw his own and fire multiple rounds from close range. He said he stashed the weapon in a shed on his Pharr property, and police later recovered it.

Olguin told police he drove Lopez there to collect $10,000, per the release. He said he heard gunfire from the Malibu and pulled away as soon as Lopez returned, and that Lopez then told him he had shot De Leon. Officers found the Charger parked in the open garage of Olguin’s residence, where several search warrants were served, and located Olguin at his girlfriend’s place in San Juan.

Police said the motive remains unclear.