Texas teenager charged in smuggling deaths after woman, boy drown in canal
Mar 29, 2025·Location: McAllen, TX

Vicente Garcia Jr., 18, of Roma, Texas, was arrested after allegedly driving a vehicle involved in human smuggling operations in McAllen on March 28. According to federal prosecutors, Garcia was transporting a smuggled person to another smuggler, Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier, who was driving a vehicle with four additional smuggled passengers. When law enforcement observed the suspected smuggling operation and attempted to approach, Baeza-Combaluzier drove through a flooded road and crashed his vehicle into a canal, resulting in the deaths of a woman and a 14-year-old child. Garcia faces up to life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
Sources
- Two men found guilty in deadliest human smuggling incident in modern U.S. history
NPR·Mar 19, 2025·archived copy
- 2 men face federal charges after woman, teen drown in alleged smuggling attempt
- Two charged in smuggling deaths of woman, child during recent South Texas flooding event
- willmarradio.com
- 2 men face federal charges after woman, teen drown in alleged smuggling attempt | ABC Audio Digital Syndication
- Two Charged in McAllen Smuggling Deaths of Woman & Child During Recent Flooding Event
texasborderbusiness.com·Apr 2, 2025·archived copy
- ruralradio.com
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