Three Arrests Made in Midland/Odessa Amidst Wave of Violent Crimes

The West Texas area of Midland/Odessa has seen an uptick in violent crimes like kidnapping, assault, and murder. NewsWest 9 recently disclosed the arrests of three individuals charged with severe crimes. These are their stories.

Sexual Assault of a 15-Year-Old Girl

In mid-February, a 15-year-old girl reported to the Odessa Police Department (OPD) that she had been sexually assaulted at an apartment in town.

The girl stated that she met a stranger on February 9 and decided to walk back to his apartment with him. It was there where the man, along with the apartment owner, 59-year-old David Juan Acosta, offered the girl meth and THC, which she accepted.

While under the influence of the substances, the two men proceeded to sexually assault her. She was able to leave the building after five days and contact law enforcement.

Authorities then arrested Acosta based on information received from the girl, where he admitted to having sexual contact with the girl after giving her methamphetamine.

Acosta was charged with aggravated sexual assault and was sent to jail on a $50,000 bond.

Murder Suspects Captured

On February 27 in Midland, 30-year-old Jose Luis Dominguez Jr. was arrested after having an active murder warrant for nearly a month prior.

The Texas Anti-Gang Unit had already arrested Dominguez's girlfriend, Megan Lynne Hernandez, who was also included in the murder case. A warning was then made to the community claiming Dominguez was still at large and was to be considered armed and dangerous.

As of February 27, details on the homicide case or on either of the two suspect's arrests has yet to be released.

An Alleged Kidnapping in Odessa

Finally, Ector County police responded to a call on Sunday, March 1, about a man claimed to have kidnapped a 3-year-old and the child's mother.

Multiple agencies responded to the case, as callers stated they feared for the safety of the child and the mother.

Officers located the vehicle of the suspect, 37-year-old Braulio Garcia, and conducted a traffic stop. Garcia refused to pull over, instead choosing to speed up in an attempt to flee the officer.

Garcia's vehicle was finally stopped and he was taken into custody. Authorities later found the mother and child unharmed. This led to police determining that no kidnapping actually took place.

Garcia's bond was set at $25,000.