Houston Police Department

April 19, 2005 -- Houston police homicide investigators said five of 20 persons arrested prior to and following a SWAT standoff at 6405 West Bellfort on Thursday, April 14, have been charged in connection with four murders in the Houston area.

The five suspects, Roger Francisco Palacios (H/m, DOB 4-25-81), Miguel Camay Porex (H/m, DOB 9-29-81), Jairo Daniel Rodriguez (H/m, DOB 8-22-82), Edgar Rolando Gonzalez (H/m, DOB ) and Miguel Angel Castro (H/m, DOB 10-29-85) are charged in the four separate murder cases. Castro is charged with capital murder in the 174th State District Court in the April 12, 2005 death of an 18-month-old boy in Huffman, Texas. Porex and Rodriguez are each charged with murder in the October 18, 2004 fatal shooting of a man at 10201 Harwin. Both are charged in the 337th State District Court. Palacios is charged with murder in the 183rd State District Court in the killing of a man at 7633 Dashwood on November 20, 2004. Gonzalez is charged in the 176th State District Court in the February 16, 2005 murder of a man at 7425 Hillcroft.

HPD Homicide Division Lieutenant M.J. Smith reported:

On March 29, the homicide division started a three-week initiative to work on a series of murders that were connected by ballistics or other investigative leads. It was quickly determined these murders involved multiple members of a single gang. During this same three-week period, three more murders occurred involving these same individuals. Two of the murders were in Houston and one was in Huffman in unincorporated Harris County. Joining the five homicide investigators on this initiative were officers from the HPD Northeast, Westside and Fondren Gang Units as well as investigators from the Robbery, Criminal Intelligence, and Major Offenders Divisions. Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement were also invited to participate. As the investigation progressed, undercover officers from the Narcotics Division and the Houston SWAT team also participated. At this time, one suspect is charged with aggravated robbery, one is charged with aggravated assault, one has been turned over to Harris County Juvenile Probation authorities and at least 10 other suspects have been charged with evading arrest as a result of their actions at 6405 West Bellfort. These individuals and their associates may be involved in as many as nine murders since last October. Details on the murders where a suspect has been charged are being released. The rest of the information is being shared with the various investigators assigned to the cases. Additional charges will be sought on the suspects in custody and those who have yet to be arrested. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is assisting with the identification of the suspects. This investigation will continue as the various leads are pursued and the
intelligence information gained during the past three weeks is analyzed.

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.