A former border patrol agent allegedly murdered four women and tried to abduct a fifth over the course of two weeks. Juan David Ortiz stands trial in Bexar County, Texas. You can watch in the player above.
Prosecutors said Ortiz confessed. He allegedly acted as some sort of vigilante, but authorities said he was a serial killer, preying on women doing sex work. Ortiz allegedly killed four women: Guiselda Alicia Hernandez, Claudine Anne Luera, Melissa Ramirez, and Janelle Ortiz (aka Nikki Enriquez). He tried to also abduct Erika Peña, but she fled, investigators said.
Fmr. Border Patrol Agent #JuanDavidOrtiz on trial:
Four sex workers murdered.Sept. 15, 2018 – Guiselda Alicia Hernandez found dead, shot in the neck.
Sept. 15, 2018 – Janelle Ortiz (no relation) found dead, shot in the head.
2/2 pic.twitter.com/EnFxxDgCHk
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 29, 2022
Peña escaped from the killer’s truck at a gas station in mid-September and quickly told a state trooper that Ortiz had attempted to kidnap her, investigators said. Her internal alarm bells sounded after mentioning a prior killing and noticing that her would-be-kidnapper reacted strangely. Then he pulled a gun on her, authorities said.
Ortiz had been working nine years for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The defense says his alleged confession was false
In the #BorderPatrolSerialKiller trial of Juan David Ortiz, the defendant confessed to police but now the defense says it was a false confession. In that confession, Ortiz reportedly said he killed the 4 prostitutes and believed he was doing a service to the citizens of the city pic.twitter.com/6ki9iiVj8J
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 29, 2022
[Mugshot via Webb County Sheriff’s Office]
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