Federal authorities announced new federal charges in the kidnapping and execution-style murder of a man in Farmers Branch two years ago, allegedly involving members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel and the U.S. Attorneys for the Northern District of Texas and the Northern District of Illinois announced developments in two separate cases involving the criminal organization designated a ‘foreign terrorist organization.’

Blanche announced “eight allegedly illegal alien members of Tren de Aragua” [TDA] are charged with “vicious kidnappings and murders in separate cases out of Texas and Illinois.”

Five of the members were charged in Texas and three were charged in Illinois, according to Blanche.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas addressed the August 2024 kidnapping and murder of a fellow TDA member that led him to open an investigation.

“Farmers Branch police found the man on the side of the road, abandoned and bleeding from the head because of a single gunshot right between his eyes,” said Raybould.

Farmers Branch police said the victim, Nilzuly Petit, was an affiliate of the gang and withheld stolen money from group members, leading the defendants to kidnap Petit and two minors outside an apartment complex in Dallas.

The men reportedly drove the victim to Farmers Branch and executed Petit in front of the children. The two minors were later released in another city.

An 8-page indictment details allegations against five men now facing federal charges for racketeering, murder, kidnapping and jackpotting in the Farmers Branch case:

Hector Asdrubal Garcia Zuniga a.k.a. “Murry”

Carlos Luis Zambrano Bolivar

Jhonny Jesus Martinez Serrano

Jhonatan Nahn Toro Gonzalez

Ehiker Alexander Morales Mendoza a.k.a. “El Negro”

In February, Bolivar stood trial on a state charge for capital murder in Dallas County.

The trial is believed to be the first against a member of TDA in the U.S.

Jurors were not able to come to a unanimous decision, and the judge declared a mistrial.

At the time, the Dallas County District Attorney’s office said it intended to seek a new trial and online court filings indicate a hearing in October.

The DA’s office did not respond to NBC 5’s request for comment today.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Raybould spoke about Bolivar’s trial, saying “the evidence that came to light compelled me, as well as General Blanche and Director Patel to act.”

U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois detailed the May 2026 kidnapping and killing of another man on the southside of Chicago.

“The defendants captured the victim, and then forced him into a car, where he was initially driven to a Chicago apartment,” said Boutros. “The defendant and their co-conspirators bound the victim’s wrist behind his back, held him against his will, and kept him in there for hours. They later exited this apartment with the victim, where now the victim’s hands were tied behind his back. They transported the victim to an abandoned building in Chicago, where he was shot multiple times in the head and in the body.”

According to Blanche, the suspects all entered the U.S. between December 2021 and April 2024, during the Biden Administration.

“None of these men should have been in this country,” said Blanche.

The Trump Administration has designated TDA as a ‘foreign terrorist organization.’

When asked if any of the men could face terrorism charges, the officials said they will look at any other potential charges, including terrorism.

Raybould vows to root out the criminal organization’s presence in North Texas, saying: “We’re just continuing to investigate and investigate, and we’re going to dig deeper and deeper, and I’ll end with this to members of TDA: We’re coming for you, and we’re particularly coming for you if you come to North Texas.”