INDEPENDENCE — Law enforcement in Montgomery County on Tuesday arrested a man suspected of capital murder in Texas. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office’s license plate reader alerted law enforcement after reading the license plate of a vehicle traveling on U.S. 169.
Plate readers are routinely used by law enforcement to photograph license plates of vehicles traveling in their jurisdictions. The plate numbers are run through a national database to determine if any are connected to criminal activity.
At 11:27 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Montgomery County sheriff received an alert from one of their cameras. The vehicle was wanted in connection with a capital murder case in Hidalgo County, Texas.
Sheriff’s deputies, with assistance from the Cherryvale Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol, responded and located the vehicle. The occupants, along with the vehicle, were transported to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Hidalgo County officers interviewed those in the vehicle.
One person was arrested, Geoffrey Jay Luna, 28. He’s charged with shooting a 16-year-old boy on Jan. 17 in a drug deal that went sideways, according to Hidalgo authorities. The youth later died from his injuries.
Luna has been returned to Hidalgo County, where he is being held without bond.
Sheriff Ron Wade stated, “This incident highlights the critical role our license plate readers play in enhancing public safety. With five major U.S. highways running through our county, we regularly encounter wanted vehicles and individuals passing through. Thanks to these cameras, we were able to assist an out-of-state agency in a homicide investigation by locating both the vehicle and key witnesses. Prior to this technology, locating such a vehicle could have taken months, relying solely on an officer spotting it and running the tag.”
Sheriff Wade added, “I commend the deputies and officers for their swift response and dedication in supporting this investigation. Thank you to everyone who played a role in this case. We will continue leveraging this technology to apprehend wanted individuals, locate missing persons, and recover stolen vehicles within our communities.”
The vehicle will be processed as part of the investigation at the request of Hidalgo County investigators.
