EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 30-year-old man was arrested after a SWAT standoff in connection with a homicide on Sunday, Jan. 25, in Socorro, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s Office investigates homicide in Socorro
At around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, Socorro Police Department officers were dispatched to the 10500 block of Monte Alto about a possible aggravated assault.
Upon arrival, officers entered the home and located the victim, 35-year-old Eduardo Contreras, dead inside the home. EPCSO’s Major Crimes Unit, with assistance from the Texas Rangers, responded to the scene and took over the investigation.
During the investigation, information obtained led to the response of the El Paso Police Department SWAT and Crisis Management Team (CMT) units to the 3100 block of N. Piedras.
CMT officers successfully negotiated with the offender, 30-year-old Gabriel Ontiveros, who surrendered without incident and was taken into custody, according to EPCSO.

Gabriel Ontiveros
A search warrant was subsequently executed at 3101 N. Piedras, and based on evidence obtained during the investigation, a warrant for murder was obtained for Ontiveros.
Ontiveros was rebooked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on the murder charge with no bond, in addition to five outstanding criminal warrants, according to EPCSO.
“This case reflects the strong collaboration between our partner agencies and their shared commitment to holding offenders accountable,” said Sheriff Ugarte. “We appreciate the efforts of all personnel involved in bringing this investigation to a safe and successful resolution.”
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