An El Paso man was arrested on suspicion of murder after deputies found a body inside a far East El Paso home, authorities said.
Deputies arrested Leopoldo Ortega, 25, on one count of murder in connection with the death of 36-year-old Juan Oscar Becerra, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Priscilla I. Contreras said in a news release.
Leopoldo Ortega
No attorney for Ortega is named in court records.
Deputies responded on Oct. 2 to a report of a dead body inside a home in the 12800 block of Barstow Avenue near Pellicano Drive. Deputies found Becerra dead inside the home.
Evidence “indicated signs of foul play,” the news release stated. The Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit detectives responded and took over the investigation.
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The investigation led to detectives identifying Ortega as a suspect in the death. No further information on the investigation has been released.
Deputies obtained an arrest warrant for murder for Ortega. Deputies and U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force members arrested Ortega on Thursday, Oct. 16, at a home in the 7400 block of Cimarron Market Avenue, the news release stated.
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Ortega was booked into the El Paso County jail on a $250,000 bond, jail records show. He remains jailed as of Friday, Oct. 17.
“I want to thank our federal, state and local partners for their swift and professional work on this investigation,” El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said in a statement. “This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to keeping El Paso safe. If you commit a crime here, we will find you and hold you accountable.”
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso man arrested on murder charge in far East El Paso death