Man Wanted For 1997 Murder Of Houston Teen Arrested In S. Texas

DIMMIT COUNTY, TX — A man wanted for the 1997 murder of a 15-year-old boy was captured last week during a traffic stop near the Texas-Mexico border. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper arrested Daniel Duron III April 17 after he was pulled over for speeding.

Officials said the trooper stopped a white Dodge Ram pickup on FM 133 in Dimmit County, Texas.

The driver gave the trooper a social security number and identified himself as Jose Catarino Duron.

Duron was detained and taken to the border patrol station in Carrizo Springs. During the automated finger print system (AFIS) check, his finger prints revealed his true identity to be Daniel Duron III, wanted in Harris County for murder and attempted Capital Murder since March of 1997.

According to investigators, on March 15, 1997, Duron and another man, identified as Juan Soto, pulled their car in front of a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old male and three other juveniles on Hollyvale Street in north east Harris County and confronted the teens.

Duron accused the driver of hitting his vehicle and demanded money from him and the others at gunpoint.

The 16-year-old driver tried to leave and Duron and Soto shot at their vehicle with handguns. Imel Jones, a 15-year-old passenger, was hit by gunfire and died at scene. A 15-year-old female and 16-year-old male were also hit by gunfire.

Duron and Soto fled the Houston area after Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigators filed murder charges on them.

Juan Soto is still on the run, investigators said.

Duron was arrested and charged with Failure to Identify Fugitive with Intent to Give False Information.

He was released to the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office and is awaiting extradition to Harris County.

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