FBI, U.S. Marshals And Secret Service Investigate Journalist's Murder
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Garland (CBSDFW.COM) - The FBI, U.S. Marshals and the Secret Service were brought in to help solve the murder of a freelance journalist in Garland.
On June 13, Jay Torres, 57, was found with a gunshot wound to the upper body in the backyard of a home on Mayflower Drive. Investigators said he was dead for "multiple days" and that robbery does not appear to be a motive because nothing was taken from him.
Family members said Torres had worked on stories such as human trafficking that could place him in danger. They told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he was at the Garland home as part of his other work flipping homes.
Lt. Pedro Barineau said they need the public's help to find the people or person responsible.
"We are aware that he was a journalist, as well as worked in real estate. We are working at all aspects and leads that we have in order to find out who killed Mr. Torres," said Lt. Barineau.
Torres covered stories for the Latino edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, La Estrella, a weekly publication of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram serving readers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
Tuesday, a small group of community members gathered at Garland Police headquarters in a show of quiet concern to encourage police to continue to treat Torres' murder as a priority.
"Jay Torres was a part of our community," said local Hispanic leader Carlos Quintanilla. "This matters to us. We want the Garland Police Department to do a thorough, aggressive, detailed investigation. We want no stone un-turned," added Quintanilla, while also calling on the community to provide police with any tips or leads that could assist in the investigation.
Barineau said any information about Torres' murder is welcomed.
"If anyone has any information, call the Garland police department. Crime Stoppers are offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case," he said.
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