Texas Semi-Truck Driver No Show in Detention Hearing After Death of 53 Migrants

A Texas semi-truck driver, who was caught in the heated incident where at least 53 migrants died, did not show up for his Wednesday detention hearing.

According to KENS 5, Homero Zamorano Jr. filed a waiver of the detention hearing, which was granted by a district court judge in San Antonio, Texas.

Zamorano, from Pasadena, Texas, is one of the four suspects arrested in connection to the death of 53 migrants, New York Post reported.

Zamorano's detention hearing on Wednesday was supposedly his second appearance in court, following his initial hearing last week. Furthermore, his second hearing was supposed to determine if he would remain under the custody of the Texas authorities.

In last week's hearing, Zamorano was informed about his charges, including illegal transportation of immigrants. The said charge carries a penalty of life imprisonment if he will be convicted.

The court record revealed that for now, Zamorano would remain behind bars. However, it was unclear where he was booked at the moment. Authorities have also not mentioned when Zamorano's presence would be requested in the court.

Texas Semi-Truck Driver Homero Zamorano Jr.

Homero Zamorano Jr. was initially identified by Mexican authorities through surveillance footage that was captured in Encinal, Texas. He was reportedly arrested in a nearby field, where he pretended to be one of the dozens of injured immigrants, officials confirmed.

According to reports, the Texas semi-truck driver was allegedly high on meth when he abandoned the 18-wheeler on the roadside of San Antonio, Texas, in an area known for smuggling.

Authorities reported that Zamorano left the drying migrants in the back of the truck, but they were discovered when witnesses heard a cry for help and spotted the truck, with bodies inside as well as lifeless immigrants lying on the ground.

Previously, a court document revealed that Zamorano claimed he did not know the air conditioner in the semi-truck had stopped working.

Other suspects in the Texas truck tragedy were identified as Christian Martinez, Juan Claudio D'Luna-Mendez, and Francisco D'Luna-Bilbao.

Martinez was accused of exchanging text messages with Zamorano before and after the truck was found.

Meanwhile, D'Luna-Mendez and D'Luna-Bilbao were accused of being involved in the smuggling incident. They are charged with firearms possession and with being in the U.S. illegally.

D'Luna Bilbao is expected to appear in court on August 1.

Texas Truck Tragedy: 47 Migrant Victims Identified - Officials

On Wednesday, Texas officials announced that all but six of 53 migrants who were found dead or dying in the semi-truck on June 27 were identified, ABC News reported.

The truck was reportedly carrying 73 migrants when the truck was found.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office said that 22 of the dead were from Mexico, 19 were from Guatemala, and six were from Honduras.

The dead reportedly included teenagers, including 13 and 14-year-olds from Guatemala, as well as two 16-year-olds from Mexico.

Guatemala's Foreign Relations Ministry confirmed that the majority of the migrants from the country were from the San Marcos department that borders Mexico.

"So far we believe that there were four smuggling structures involved in this case," Prosecutor Stuardo Campo said. Campo is overseeing the case of the Texas truck tragedy in June.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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