WESLACO – A man in the country illegally accused in the beating death of a Rio Grande Valley veteran will appear in court.

Andres Roberto Ortiz is charged with capital murder. Investigators said he beat 56-year-old Jose Luis Oviedo with a bat before stealing his car.

It happened back in January of this year.

Oviedo was in the U.S. Navy for 15 years and served in Operation Desert Storm.

Ortiz is due in court for a pre-trial hearing.