Nicolas Anthony Bazan, a 41-year-old Hispanic male, tragically lost his life on June 19, 2017, in McAllen, Texas. Bazan was found dead from a single gunshot wound, with his front pockets turned inside out, indicating a possible robbery. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 12:42 a.m., when McAllen police received calls about gunshots fired in the 2100 block of North Main Street.
Shortly after, another call came from a homeowner in the 1400 block of West Vine Avenue, who heard an unknown man calling for help from his backyard. Upon arrival, police discovered Bazan's lifeless body.
The investigation revealed that Bazan had been with Alex Arevalo, a 26-year-old Hispanic male, and Avero Olivarez Alaniz, a 54-year-old Hispanic male, at the Orchard Lounge in McAllen a couple of days before his death. Bazan's brother informed the police that Bazan had a large sum of cash on him on June 18, 2017. Surveillance footage showed a light-colored van traveling south on North Main Street, slowing down as Bazan exited and ran away from the vehicle. Arevalo later confessed to shooting Bazan inside the van during a botched robbery attempt. He admitted that he, along with Alaniz, Roberta Martinez, a 38-year-old Hispanic female, and Monica Ann Winkle Gomez, a 40-year-old Hispanic female, planned to rob Bazan of the cash and methamphetamines they believed he had.
Arevalo, who initially faced a charge of capital murder, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. The remaining suspects, Armando Adrian Arebalo, a 34-year-old Hispanic male, Alaniz, Martinez, and Gomez, all pleaded not guilty. Arebalo, a known 'Loco 13' gang member, was released on bond for state capital murder charges but was later arrested for allegedly selling nearly two pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover FBI confidential informant. He has pleaded guilty to a narcotics charge and is awaiting sentencing in his federal case.
The case against the other suspects was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Arevalo's sentencing was put on hold as he was expected to testify against his co-defendants at their trials. The investigation into Bazan's death highlighted the involvement of multiple individuals in a planned robbery that ultimately led to his tragic demise. The McAllen Police Department continues to seek information about Alaniz, who remains at large.
