Police make arrest in Tuesday slaying

Brownsville police arrested a suspect in an East Side killing Thursday, after they identified the suspect in surveillance tape walking into a Stripes convenience store for a bite to eat after the incident .

Oscar Padilla Martinez, a Mexican national, was arrested about 4 p.m. Wednesday and charged with failing to report a felony offense, according to jail logs. Thursday morning he was charged with murder, said Brownsville police spokesman Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique.

Police detectives alleged Padilla, 33, was an active participant in the gruesome slaying of a man, believed to be in his late-20s to early-30, found dead shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday at Bagar Auto Body Shop on the 5600 block of Coffeeport Road, Manrrique.

When employees at the shop arrived Tuesday morning, they found “Mario,” as police are identifying the man, hanged. Detectives report Mario was an undocumented immigrant originally from Chiapas, Mexico.

Thursday morning police detectives obtained a second arrest warrant for a man who is also believed to have been an active participant in the slaying. He was only being identified as “Juan.”

Shortly after allegedly killing Mario, both suspects went to Stripes to purchase food, Manrrique said. Police detectives obtained surveillance video of the two walking into the store.

A Brownsville municipal judge will arraign Padilla on the murder charge Friday morning.