RSF concerned by murder of journalist Jay Torres in Texas
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned to learn of the murder of journalist Jacinto Hernández Torres, whose byline was Jay Torres, in Garland, Texas. It remains unclear if his death was directly related to his work as a journalist.
Jay Torres was a 57-year-old local freelance journalist who frequently contributed to La Estrella, the Spanish language publication of the Star Telegram, and who also had a real estate business.
His body was found Monday night in a suburb of Dallas, Texas near a property he may have been looking to purchase and flip for his real estate business. His real estate investment partner had become worried when Torres told him he was going there on Friday and then failed to respond to texts or calls over the weekend.
The Garland Police Department said in a press release that they are investigating his death as a homicide but told RSF it was too early to say what the motive was for his murder. The statement revealed that Torres' body had been at the scene of the crime for several days before he was found.
His daughter Aline Torres told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday that her father had recently worked on more sensitive stories that may have involved human trafficking. She said “he would tell me he was turning over rocks that maybe people didn’t want turned over.”
“We urge the authorities to thoroughly investigate Torres’ murder and determine whether or not it was related to his work as a journalist,” said Delphine Halgand, RSF’s US Director.
The U.S. ranks 41 out of 180 countries on RSF’s 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
United States
