2 former Santa Fe Middle School students identified as bodies found in car, deputies say

LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Authorities identified two victims after their bodies were found in a car over the weekend in Liberty County.

Fifteen-year-old Cesar Christopher Trochez-Maravilla and 14-year-old Adiel Garcia Aguirre were killed on Saturday near County Road 5260 and 5200, deputies say.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office said deputies found the boys with gunshot wounds in a car in the Santa Fe subdivision south of Plum Grove.

"They both lived near the area of the murder," Capt. David Meyers said. "The autopsy revealed that each had been shot multiple times, resulting in their deaths."

ORIGINAL REPORT: Investigation underway after teens found dead inside car in Liberty County, deputies say

Meyers revealed new information, suggesting that the two students may have been talking to someone before shots were fired.

"The vehicle was running and was in drive, indicating they had probably stopped to talk to someone when the gunshots started ringing out. They took off in the vehicle and ended up in a muddy area off the main road," Meyers said.

Investigators said they received a tip at about 3 p.m. from someone checking their mail when they spotted the car about 50-60 feet from a group mailbox in the Santa Fe community.

According to Meyers, the autopsies provided a possible time frame of when the boys were killed.

Authorities said the teenagers recently transitioned to homeschooling after attending Santa Fe Middle School. Detectives are looking for potential witnesses and interviewing the boys' former classmates from the middle school.

"We want to talk to people who were acquainted with our victims. We want to see if anyone had a grievance with them," Meyers said. "We are in the process of following up on leads that came in through the weekend and are diligently working on finding the killer or killers."

Deputies said in a news release that the area had ongoing issues with gangs, but it is uncertain if this shooting was gang-related.

No arrests have been made, and investigators haven't released a description of any possible suspects.

If you know anything about this case, authorities urge you to contact the Liberty County Sheriff's Office at 936-336-4500 and speak to an investigator. The sheriff's office says an interpreter can be provided if needed.

Tips also can be made anonymously through the Multi-County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-392-STOP (7867) or submitted online.

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