BIG SPRING, Texas — Big Spring police have arrested the suspect in the murder of an Odessa man.
Raul Mendez, 40, has been charged with murder.
Police initially responded to a PT Cruiser parked near a Kent Kwik in the 300 block of South Gregg Street at 1:37 a.m. .
Ramiro De La Rosa, 64, was found slumped over in the front passenger seat. He appeared to be suffering from an apparent assault.
The victim was taken to Scenic Mountain Medical Center before being flown to University Medical Center in Lubbock because of facial fractures. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Big Spring police and the Texas Rangers began to conduct a murder investigation.
Officers obtained security video from the Kent Kwik which showed a black passenger vehicle approaching De La Rosa's car. A man, later identified as Mendez, was seen approaching the victim's car.
The video showed the suspect pulling an item from his pocket, which was later found to be brass knuckles. He was then seen punching the victim in the head and face multiple times.
Mendez was arrested on March 18 for unrelated charges, but since BSPD had probable cause to believe he was involved in De La Rosa's murder an arrest warrant was issued.
Mendez had been booked into the Howard County Jail. His bond has been set at $750,000.
