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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Monday, June 21, 1999
Body in grave near river IDed
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, June 21, 1999 -- A body found in a shallow grave on the east
side of the Pecos River has been identified as a Pecos man who had been
missing since April of 1998.
Ward County Sheriff Jerry Heflin said an investigation is continuing
and arrests are pending in the death of 38-year-old Ruben Garcia Tercero,
whose body was excavated by deputies and Texas Rangers on May 20 from a
grave site on the east side of the Pecos River, below Barstow Dam, where
it had been buried.
The remains were found after Reeves County Sheriff Andy Gomez obtained
information about its location on the Ward County side of the river. An
investigation was begun at the time the body was discovered and Heflin
said as a result, his office believes body to be that of Tercero.
"With the assistance of the Texas Rangers, Reeves County Sheriff's Department,
Pecos Police Department, and other area officials, the body was recovered
at that time," said Heflin. "The above agencies continued their investigation
and on June 16 provided the 143rd District Attorney's office the initial
police reports and other matters concerning the investigation."
The grave, about the length of an adult male and three feet wide, was
not filled to the top. Anthropologist Dr. Robert Paine of Lubbock recommended
displacing one side to get down to where the remains were buried, about
three feet from the surface.
Gomez said a tip to the Reeves County Sheriff's Office led officers
to the site.
"We received a tip that there was a body buried in a shallow grave,"
said Gomez, who went with Reeves County Sheriff's Department Deputy Bobby
Jenkins to the site.
"The investigation continues and arrests are pending," said Heflin.
Tercero disappeared in April of 1998, and a missing persons report was
formally filed by his mother, Catalina Garcia, a few months later.
The findings bring closure to a distraught mother, who pleaded for information
on the whereabouts of her son last year.
"I feel very sad, but at least I know where my son is now," said Garcia.
"I feel awful that the way he died, because I know in my heart that he
was killed," she said.
"I just hope they catch the ones who did it," she said.
Garcia said she will plan funeral arrangements for her son when his
body is returned to her in about a month. "They said they wouldn't release
him until then, because they're hoping to catch the ones who killed him,"
she said.
"What can I do now? Nothing, but just pray for my son, who died so brutally,"
she said.
Garcia said last fall she had not seen her son since April when he said
he was going to a friend's house.
"My brother gave him a ride to his friend's house because he said they
were having a meeting," said Garcia.
She said her son had a drug problem and had been arrested before, and
suspected foul play was behind his disappearance.
However she said that he had been planning to turn himself in after
he visited with his two sons who were in Pecos in June.
"He was just waiting to see his children and he said that after that
he would turn himself in and seek some help for his drug problem," his
mother said last fall.
Garcia said she spoke to several family members and friends as to his
whereabouts. "I've been going crazy talking to everyone who knew him and
have even made the rounds in places he hung out at," she said.
"The last day I saw him my brother drove him to his friend's house,
now the friend says he left with my brother, but my brother told me he
didn't," said Garcia.
Jenkins officially filed a missing person's report on Tercero in the
fall of 1998.
Tercero was born on June 14, 1959, was described in the report as being
5-foot-7 and weighing 150 pounds.
"He had been missing since April 1998 and was last seen in Pecos, wearing
a black T-shirt and blue jeans," said Jenkins. His name had been entered
into the National Crime Information Center and the Texas Crime Information
Center.
Heavy weekend rains surround Pecos
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, June 21, 1999 -- Big smiles on the faces of some area ranchers
are brighter than the sun today, because rain fell over the weekend, and
clouds promise more of the same.
Pecos received .02 inch of rain Friday, but missed the big showers that
circled the area.
Heavy rains fell southeast of Pecos Sunday, the Midland National Weather
Service reported. Estimates from radar images are that one to three inches
fell east of U.S. Highway 285 along Farm Road 1450.
To the northeast, up to six inches fell in some areas of northeast Culberson
County, where two to four inches was noted along the Delaware River. Those
rains drained into the Pecos River Sunday night, causing a big rise in
the river above Red Bluff Dam.
Southeastern New Mexico's six to eight inches along the Black River
caused some "pretty good" flash flooding Sunday night and caused a 12-foot
rise in the Pecos River.
Two to three inches fell along the New Mexico Border in northern Loving
County east of Farm Road 652, and a flash flood warning was issued overnight
for northern Reeves and Culberson counties.
Winkler County also got one to three inches of rain over the weekend
in the southwest corner.
Fort Stockton measured .59 inch on Sunday, and radar estimates were
that one to two inches fell along I-10 between Fort Stockton and Balmorhea.
To the south, Alpine reported 4.5 inches, and 5.5 inches was reported
by a weather spotter eight miles south of town.
Marfa had 4.25 inches, Kent .33 inch, Van Horn .45 inch, and one or
two inches fell in the Davis Mountains.
Rain along I-20 west of Monahans measured one to 1.5 inches.
Forecasts call for 30 to 40 percent chance of rain because of the moist
air. Showers will again be scattered, said a Midland meteorologist. "They'll
be hit or miss."
Showers late Saturday and early Sunday dumped 0.51 of an inch of rain
at San Angelo's National Weather Service Office, bringing the rainfall
total for the month to 4.5 inches.
Forecasters predict a better-than-average chance of getting enough rain
in the next 48 hours to make June 1999 the city's wettest such month ever.
Conditions through tonight are favorable for more rain — maybe even
enough to push the city past 6.75 inches for the month, which would top
the mark set in June 1940.
"There's a weak upper-level disturbance that's going to remain stationary
over West Texas the next couple of days," Mark Tew, a National Weather
Service meteorologist, told the San Angelo Standard-Times on Sunday. "The
disturbance combined with daytime heating is going to produce showers over
the next couple of days. And these are the type of showers that tend to
be slow moving."
More than six inches of rain fell near Fredericksburg, according to
the weather service, with more than 4 inches in parts of Kimble, Menard
and Mason counties.
Abilene received 1.5 inches. Brady reported 1 inch; Bronte had 0.7 of
an inch. And rainfall between 1 and 2 inches was reported in portions of
Irion and Sterling counties.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Commissioners holding meeting on golf course
PECOS, June 21, 1999 -- Reeves County Commissioners will discuss
an interim plan for managing the county golf course in a special meeting
at 4:30 p.m. today.
They will also discuss an interim golf cart rental contract and amend
the bid specifications for the golf pro/golf shop operator.
Other agenda items include bids for site utilities, slab plumbing, electrical
and fencing at the Reeves County Detention Center, approve salary changes
for the sheriff's office and approve payment of bills.
Court is held on the third floor of Reeves County Courthouse, and the
public is welcome to attend.
Juneteenth marked with Saturday events
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, June 21, 1999 -- Children's games, bible trivia, dominoes, softball
and plenty of food were part of the events held Saturday at the Eastside
Civic Center.
The group was celebrating Juneteenth on Saturday. June 19 was the 136th
anniversary of the date in which African-Americans in Texas first received
word of President Lincoln's emancipation proclamation, which freed slaves
in the 11 Confederate states.
Pecos Eagles' baseball coach Bubba Williams was presented with a plaque
from the Juneteenth Committee on behalf of his success as the District
2-4A Coach of the Year. Pecos won the district title and advanced to the
Region I-4A semifinals.
"I want to thank everyone for their support and of course, without the
good Lord's help it couldn't have been done," said Williams. "It was a
great year for us and we hope to continue with our success."
Basketball games, softball, track and tug of war games continued throughout
the afternoon.
A cake walk was held with plenty of goodies up for grabs.
Mattie Campbell, who will celebrate her 95th birthday today, was also
at the celebration and received special recognition as being the oldest
living African-American in Pecos, according to Lillie Mae Walker.
"This is that we know of, but she is celebrating her birthday and she's
just so happy to be here," said Walker. "We're just glad to be able tocome
together like this," she said.
Town of Pecos City Council members Gerald Tellez, Johnny Terrazas and
Ricky Herrera were on hand to help celebrate.
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Saturday by the Texas
Lottery, in order: 0-2-3 (zero, two, three)
Car accident leads to court trial
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Forty prospective jurors reported to Pecos Municipal Court this morning
for the trial of a misdemeanor traffic charge.
Ricardo Corrales is charged with backing without safety as the result
of a traffic accident, said City Attorney Scott Johnson. He pleaded not
guilty and asked for a jury trial.
Johnson said that Municipal Court Judge Phyllis Salyer had three jury
trials docketed, but only one jury would be needed.
Jury trials are uncommon in municipal court, where the majority of cases
are traffic fines or public intoxication.
Defendants charged with assault are the most likely to plead not guilty
and exercise their right to a jury trial, Johnson said.
Municipal Court is not a court of record. Guilty verdicts often are
appealed to Reeves County Court-at-law, where they may be re-tried or dismissed.
Corrales represented himself in today's municipal court action.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Lotto Texas drawing Saturday night: Winning
numbers drawn: 10-34-35-36-39-41. Estimated jackpot: $14 million. Number
matching six of six: one Winning ticket(s) sold in: Missouri City. Matching
five of six: 80. Prize: $1,975. Matching four of six: 4,507. Prize: $126.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Texas Million drawing Friday night: Winning
numbers drawn: 16-18-43-82. Number matching four of four in Group One:
none. Number matching four of four in Group Two: none. Number matching
four of four in Group Three: none Number matching three of four in any
group: 430. Prize: $300.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Cash 5 drawing Friday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 3,7,9,17,37. Number matching five of five: three. Prize per winner:
$29,590. Matching four of five: 391. Prize: $340.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Friday by the Texas Lottery,
in order: 7-7-4 (seven, seven, four)
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Saturday by the Texas
Lottery, in order: 0-2-3 (zero, two, three)
Obituaries
Roy Koenning
Roy Dale Koenning, 68, died Friday, June 18, 1999.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., today, at the Westside Funeral
Home in Carlsbad, N.M., with graveside services following.
He resided in Pecos for many years before moving to Carlsbad, N.M.
Survivors include his wife, Eunice Koenning; two brothers, W.H. Koenning
of Clute and John Lee Koenning of Ganado and one sister Louise Johnson
of Ganado; three daughters, Janet Graves of Carlsbad, N.M., Becky Gerald
of Abilene, and Carolyn Flora of Carlsbad, N.M. and eight grandchildren.
Charlie Millan II
Services are incomplete for Charlie Garcia Millan II, 57, who died Saturday,
June 19, 1999 at Odessa Medical Center.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Viola Robinson
Viola Robinson, 83, of Pecos, died Saturday, June 19, 1999, at her residence.
Services will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 22, at the Pecos Funeral
Home Chapel with Rev. Bruce Dury officiating. Burial will be in East Side
Cemetery.
She was born July 25, 1915, in Sweethome, was retired, had lived in
Pecos since 1952 and was a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Rosa Lee Jackson; two sisters,
Lottie Bowleggs and Cecina Taylor and one son, James McDaniel.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews and friends.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Weather
PECOS, June 21, 1999 -- High Sunday 93. Low this morning 67. Forecast for
tonight and Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. low
in the mid 60s. High in the upper 80s. South to southeast wind 10-20 mph.
Chance of rain 30 percent both tonight and Tuesday.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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