Tagged News

• Motion for new trial denied for man convicted of killing Donna teen Play Video

  December 12, 2025 8:44 PM

  A judge signed an order Friday that denied a motion for a new trial for the 23-year-old man convicted in the January 2020 shooting death of a Donna teen, court records show. Carlos Julian Contreras was sentenced to 60 years in prison in September after he was found guilty... more »

• Retrial denied for Alamo man convicted of killing Donna teen

  December 9, 2025 10:30 AM

  A motion to deny a retrial for an Alamo man convicted of killing a Donna teen has been granted, according to Hidalgo County District Attorney Terry Palacios. Lawyers for Carlos Julian Contreras argued the trial was mishandled. RELATED STORY: Hidalgo County judge considers new trial for convicted murderer... more »

• Hearing set on motion for new trial for convicted Hidalgo County murderer Play Video

  November 14, 2025 12:36 PM

  A hearing on a motion for a new trial for the man convicted of killing a Donna teen has been scheduled. The hearing is set for December 8, according to court records. Carlos Julian Contreras was sentenced to 60 years in September in connection with the shooting death... more »

• Mother of slain Donna High School student reacts to guilty verdict Play Video

  September 24, 2025 8:25 PM

  The family of a Donna High School student who was fatally shot in January 2020 said they finally have closure. Relatives of 18-year-old Genaro Isaiah “Izzy” Castillo were in court Wednesday as Castillo’s suspected killer was found guilty of murder. "I feel relieved, we've been waiting for five... more »

• Alamo man found guilty of killing Donna High School student Play Video

  September 24, 2025 12:15 PM

  A 23-year-old Alamo man was found guilty in the January 2020 death of a Donna High School student. Carlos Contreras was charged in the death of 18-year-old Genaro Isaiah “Izzy” Castillo. Jurors returned with the guilty verdict Wednesday after over four hours of deliberations. Sentencing for Contreras is... more »

• Witness in Donna murder claims he tried to report the crime to police Play Video

  September 19, 2025 11:40 AM

  Testimony in the trial against Carlos Contreras continued Friday with the testimony of a man who was allegedly forced to participate in the murder of a Donna High School student. Jorge Veliz, 21, testified that Contreras forced him to participate in the murder of 18-year-old Genaro Isaiah "Izzy" Castillo... more »

• Crime scene specialists testify in murder trial of man accused of killing Donna teen Play Video

  September 16, 2025 8:46 PM

  Evidence that was collected as part of the investigation into the death of a Donna teen was presented to jurors on Tuesday. Carlos Contreras, 23, is on trial charged with the death of Genaro Isaiah "Izzy" Castillo, whose body was found near Donna Lake on Jan. 12, 2020. ... more »

• Judge to consider ruling a mistrial in death of Donna High School student Play Video

  September 10, 2025 8:23 PM

  The judge overseeing the trial of a man accused of killing a Donna High School student in 2020 will rule on a motion to call for a mistrial. Carlos Julian Contreras, 23, was arrested in connection with the death of 18-year-old Genaro Isaiah “Izzy” Castillo on Jan. 12, 2020.... more »

• Jury selected in trial for man accused of killing Donna High School student in 2020 Play Video

  September 5, 2025 8:40 PM

  A jury is now seated in the Carlos Contreras murder trial. Contreras, who was 17 at the time, is accused of killing 18-year-old Genaro Isaiah Castillo in January 2020. RELATED STORY: 17-Year-Old Receives $1M Bond in Murder of Donna Student The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office at the... more »

• Crews to remove piping linked as possible cause of contamination at Donna Lake Play Video

  February 19, 2020 5:57 PM

  DONNA – State and federal officials are back on track to clean up the Donna reservoir and canal. The area is still contaminated more than 20 years after cancer causing chemicals were first discovered in fish and sediment from the lake. Over the years, more than 40,000 fish... more »

• Hidalgo Co. Sheriff’s Office Investigating Homicide South of Donna Lake Play Video

  January 14, 2020 8:13 PM

  DONNA – The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide south of Donna Lake. Investigators are on the scene east of Valley View Road in a sugarcane field. They identified the victim as a 19-year-old local high school student shot multiple times, according to the Sheriff's Office.... more »

• Donna Lake Cleanup Underway, EPA Advises People Not to Fish Play Video

  January 10, 2020 6:24 PM

  DONNA – The Environmental Protection Agency was back out at Donna Lake on Friday, starting the next step on their long clean-up process. Years ago, they learned what was contaminating fish in the lake. It all starts with the siphon. Water travels from the Rio Grande and under... more »

• Cleanup Efforts at Contaminated Donna Lake Underway Play Video

  September 30, 2019 4:22 PM

  DONNA – After 26 years, cleanup efforts at Donn Lake are underway. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the remedial action plan, or cleanup plan, started this month. Remedial action involves the actual construction or implementation phase of superfund site cleanup, according the environmental agency. ... more »

• Clean Up Efforts at Toxic Donna Lake Set to Start Soon Play Video

  July 30, 2019 3:59 PM

  DONNA – Clean-up efforts for a Donna lake are set to start as early as next month. After nearly a year in the making of the remedial design, which is the plan for the superfund site to get rid of the contaminants, is set to be complete as early... more »

• Donna Lake Still Accessible Despite EPA Warning on Cancer-Causing Chemicals Play Video

  October 3, 2018 6:05 PM

  DONNA – Signs of trespassers are a common sight at Donna Lake despite a warning from the Environmental Protection Agency of a cancer-causing chemical found in the water. Local residents say a lot of people do not respect the ‘No Fishing Allowed’ signs. KRGV’s Christian von Preysing wanted to know... more »

• EPA Present Options to Reduce Contamination at Donna Lake Play Video

  May 22, 2018 6:53 PM

  NEAR DONNA – A federal agency is on track with a plan to clear Donna Lake of cancer-causing chemicals. An Environmental Protection Agency representative says material used for a 9-foot concrete pipeline contain PCBs or polychlorinated biphenyl and is causing it to dissolve into the water. However, the owner of... more »

• Cleanup at Donna Lake Continues Play Video

  June 3, 2017 7:27 PM

  DONNA - Environmental Protection Agency officials estimate they've removed 1,000 fish from Donna Lake in the last three days. "These fish are contaminated with PCBs, which are a cancer-causing agent," said EPA on-scene coordinator, Mike McAteer, "We ask people just to avoid Donna Lake and Donna canal for now until... more »