A well-known entrepreneur and appointee of Texas Governor Greg Abbott tragically lost his life in a shooting incident at a McAllen business, located in the Rio Grande Valley, as reported by local authorities over the weekend.
The McAllen police have identified the deceased as Eddy Betancourt, a 61-year-old resident of Mission, Texas.
Law enforcement officers were dispatched to the 800 block of North Ware Road on Saturday afternoon following an emergency call reporting an unresponsive man on the floor, possibly suffering from a gunshot wound and not breathing. Upon arrival, officers found Betancourt without a pulse and appearing to have been shot.
The authorities have classified his death as a homicide and are continuing their investigation.
At the scene, officers confirmed that the victim, identified as Eddy Betancourt, 61, from Mission, Texas, was unresponsive. (Texas Facilities Commission)
On Sunday, police announced that they have identified 60-year-old Reynaldo Mata-Rios as a suspect in the case.
A warrant charging Mata-Rios with murder, a first-degree felony, was issued by the McAllen Municipal Court.
Authorities said Mata-Rios indicated he intended to surrender but had not done so as of Sunday afternoon. Mata-Rios is 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 195 pounds, according to police. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
Reynaldo Mata-Rios is wanted for the shooting death of Eddy Betancourt. (McAllen Police Department)
In 2020, Abbott appointed Betancourt to the Texas Facilities Commission, which oversees construction, maintenance and leasing of state-owned buildings. He was reappointed in 2023 to a term set to expire in 2029, according to the governor’s office.
Along with serving in state government, Betancourt was president of R&B General Construction Co. Inc., co-owner and president of National Tire and Wheel LLC, and a general retail partner manager for E2H Investment. He also worked on the Hidalgo County Appraisal District Board of Directors and was a member of the McAllen Board of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is seen on Nov. 14, 2025, in Midlothian, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Police said the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not released a possible motive.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
