The city of Houston is mourning the loss of firefighter Marcelo Garcia, who died in a warehouse fire last week. An arrest has been made in connection with the fire that took Garcia’s life, and a suspect is now facing serious charges. According to
KHOU 11 News
, 38-year-old Yesenia Espinoza Mendez has been charged with arson resulting in bodily injury or death. Officials stated that Mendez was taken into custody and charged following the use of facial recognition software which identified her from surveillance footage.
During a lethal blaze at a Houston warehouse, firefighter Marcelo “Ox” Garcia tragically lost his life as a wall suddenly collapsed. Garcia was a ten-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department and spent the last six years serving at Station 23, according to
FOX 26 Houston
. A history of previous offenses has come to light as court records unearth a track record of criminal charges against Mendez dating back to 2005. The charges range from theft and DWI to possession of cocaine and assault causing bodily injury.
Fire investigators, aided by the Harris County Arson Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas State Marshal’s Office, have been tirelessly working on the case. Mendez, now in custody, has also been revealed to struggle with mental health issues, such as depression, and is a mother to six children. Houston METRO police successfully used facial recognition technology to pinpoint Mendez as the accused upon leaving the scene and boarding a METRO train. In light of the charges, a judge granted Mendez a $100,000 surety bond in a proceed court.
The Houston Professional Firefighters Association expressed their profound grief and anger, stating, “We are heartbroken and angry to learn that the fire that took the life of one of our own was a deliberate act of arson.” They continued to highlight the profound impact Garcia’s death has had on the firefighter community and thanked investigators for their dedication to the case. The City of Houston paid tribute to firefighter Garcia by lighting city hall in red in his honor. Furthermore, the public funeral service for Garcia will take place on Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, with the mayor requesting city commuters to turn on their vehicle headlights in remembrance of the fallen hero, as reported by
FOX 26 Houston
.
Heartfelt memorials and tributes continue as the firefighting community and the city come to terms with this tragedy. At Fire Station 23, Garcia’s locker still bears his signature and initials, and his colleagues like firefighter Abby Cortez remember him with reverence. Cortez told
KHOU 11 News
, “He was loved big time. I mean immensely, he was loved.”
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