Freeman F. Martin Director | Texas Department of Public Safety
Freeman F. Martin Director | Texas Department of Public Safety
The Texas Rangers, in collaboration with the Laredo Police Department, have identified Sergio Mendez as the suspect in the 2016 murder of Janette Escamilla Jaramillo. A Webb County grand jury has indicted Mendez for his alleged involvement in the case.
Jaramillo, a mother of nine, was last seen on May 18, 2016, after leaving work around midnight. Her body was discovered hours later by employees of the Laredo Parks and Recreation Department under a skate ramp at Seven Flags Park, near her home. She had been strangled following an attempted sexual assault.
Initial investigations included surveillance footage showing Jaramillo walking with an unidentified man shortly after she left work. The suspect was described as tall with short hair and wearing a trash bag due to rain that evening. However, evidence at that time was insufficient for an arrest.
In 2021, Jaramillo’s case became eligible for funding from the Texas Department of Public Safety's program supported by the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ/BJA). This program provides resources to further investigate unsolved sexual assaults and homicides.
Funds from a SAKI grant were used for advanced DNA testing through Bode Technologies. This testing identified Mendez as the suspect, confirmed through standard forensic DNA methods.
On March 12, 2025, Mendez was indicted by a Webb County grand jury. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence in Edinburg for an unrelated crime and remains in custody.
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