State, defense rest in trial of Alamo man accused of killing Donna teen

EDINBURG — The defense and state in the trial of a 23-year-old Alamo man accused of killing a 19-year-old Donna man in 2020 both rested their cases on Tuesday.

Now, closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning for Carlos Julian Contreras, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Genaro Isaiah “Izzy” Castillo on Jan. 14, 2020 near Donna Lake.

The trial began on Sept. 15. Prior to that, Contreras had a jury selected on Sept. 8, but there was a mistrial after prosecutors revealed that the man’s girlfriend, Miranda Luna, 21, had reached an immunity deal to testify. The judge declared a mistrial because of this and they tried again on Sept. 15 and selected another jury.

The parents of Carlos Julian Contreras, Roy and Cynthia are seen after a recess for his trial with Judge Singleterry-Lopez in the 476th state District Court at the Hidalgo County Courthouse Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Edinburg. (Delcia Lopez | dlopez@themonitor.com)

Tuesday marks the seventh day of trial.

The proceedings have featured the testimony of Luna, who claimed on the stand that a man named Jorge Veliz, 21, forced Contreras to kill Castillo. Veliz also took the stand and told jurors that it was Contreras who forced him to participate in Castillo’s killing. He also testified that Luna was not at the scene of the killing and testimony has indicated Contreras did not say she was there during his interrogation prior to his arrest.

Veliz also cooperated with authorities in the case.

After his arrest, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office said that Contreras and Castillo had been involved in a criminal enterprise. Testimony also indicated that Contreras and Veliz had been involved in a human smuggling incident.

Veliz is on probation for human smuggling. He has not been charged in Castillo’s murder.

There was also testimony about an issue of jealousy from Contreras about how one of Castillo’s friends had flirted with Luna, his girlfriend.

On Thursday, jurors watched a video of Contreras’ interrogation where when asked if he knew Castillo, he told the investigator that Castillo had been shot without being asked.

Here’s the latest update:

Jury deliberating fate of Alamo man accused of killing Donna teen

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