CONFIRMED: ACCUSED MATA KILLER DEAD FROM APPARENT SUICIDE

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Initial reports – first published in El Rrun-Rrun and now confirmed – indicate that the Texas Rangers have been called to investigate the Friday morning death of  Joel Uriegas Izaguirre, accused of capital murder in the deaths of his wife and her aunt, found hanging in his cell Friday March 13, while being held in custody in the Cameron County Rucker-Carrizalez Correction Center in Olmito.

Yaguirre was charged in connection with the death of the two women in Brownsville after authorities said he admitted to the killings. They said he had used a wooden club to bludgeon them to death.

The victims were identified as his wife Norma Alicia Garza Espinoza's and his wife's aunt Idalia Carrizales, who was 58, said Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Trevino during a  press conference.

Izaguirre, 48, from Matamoros, was charged with two counts of capital murder and issued no bond. During Izaguirre's arraignment, the judge declared him a flight risk as he left to Matamoros after the killings.

The murder was reported on December 14, 2025. The killings happened in the 6200 block of Tecate Street.

During a press conference, Trevino said this was not a random act of violence and instead was planned. A motive for the killing was Izaguirre had a mistress in Matamoros and possibly killed his wife to be with her. News reports indicate that a custodial death report listed the cause of death as asphyxia due to hanging.

The report stated that Izagurre was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 9 a.m. on Friday. Medical staff on scene attempted CPR, but confirmed that he had no pulse.

The report goes on to say that Izaguirre used a mattress cover sheet to hang himself. He reportedly used plastic material from the mattress and the mattress sheet to form a ligature for his hanging. A letter written by Izaguirre was also found in his cell. He was 48-years-old at the time of his death.

Justice of the Peace Mary Esther Sorola ordered a full autopsy.

After his arrest, Izaguirre, who was from Matamoros, had told investigators that he’d planned to kill his wife because he had wanted to start a new life with his girlfriend from work. He said that he’d tried to deceive authorities by planting his border crossing card on her lifeless body.