The FBI announced yesterday a reward in the 2025 killing of a 20-year-old Presidio resident who was fatally shot while returning from Ojinaga, Chihuahua. The agency is offering up to $25,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of anyone involved in the slaying of Alan Valenzuela, a case that has rattled the tiny border community and refocused attention on rising violence across the river in Ojinaga.
In a "Seeking Information" notice, the El Paso field office lays out a stark timeline. In the early hours of July 6, 2025, Valenzuela and two friends were at a bar in Ojinaga when gunfire erupted outside. After they left and headed toward the Presidio port of entry, their vehicle came under fire. Valenzuela, seated in the back, was struck and later pronounced dead after the vehicle crossed into the United States, according to the FBI. The notice states that the bureau is offering the reward "for information leading to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of anyone involved in the murder of Alan Valenzuela" and urges anyone with tips to contact the El Paso field office or submit a report online.
What investigators say
Local officials and border agents have characterized the shooting as apparently random and linked to a recent uptick in cartel violence in the region, according to reporting from Marfa Public Radio. U.S. Customs and Border Protection told reporters the vehicle arrived at the Presidio port of entry at 3:41 a.m. with an unconscious man who had no pulse when assessed by a security officer, per that reporting. Local coverage from the Big Bend Sentinel identified the Ojinaga venue as the Palace and reported that Valenzuela and three companions were employees of Cibolo Creek Ranch.
Mexican authorities' response
Mexican federal prosecutors in Chihuahua later announced they had detained six people in follow-up raids who are suspected members of a criminal group known locally as "Los Cabrera," and that they seized rifles, handguns, vehicles, and narcotics as evidence, according to reporting by Ojinaga Noticias. State prosecutors have linked those arrests to the July 6 attack but say the investigation remains open and that additional steps are expected as authorities continue to develop leads.
How to report tips
According to the FBI notice, anyone with information should contact the El Paso field office, the nearest American embassy or consulate, or submit an anonymous tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The bureau has also asked people who may have video or photos from the Ojinaga area around July 6, 2025, to check their devices for anything that might help investigators.
Local reaction
Presidio officials and residents have mourned Valenzuela and pressed for answers. The community held a vigil, and his funeral was listed in local obituaries in mid July 2025, per the Big Bend Sentinel. County officials have said they will coordinate with state and federal partners to pursue leads and have underscored the cross-border complexity of the case.
