BREAKING NEWS: San Marcos PD arrests murder suspects

December 8, 2021

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Staff Reports

SAN MARCOS – The San Marcos Police Department’s investigation into the homicide of 19-year-old Lavonte Craig Benford has resulted in the arrest of two suspects.

Lukas Javier Perez (DOB 08/16/2004) of San Antonio, TX, was booked into the Hays County Jail on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Michael Brandon Torres (DOB 10/07/1996) of Weslaco, TX, was booked into the Hays County Jail on Saturday, December 4, 2021.

Perez was charged with Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Torres was charged with Murder. As of this release, Perez and Torres remain in jail on a $550,000 and $500,000 bond, respectively.

The San Marcos Police extends its appreciation to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers, the Kyle Police Department, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, the San Antonio Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance with this case.

Information gathered as part of the investigation suggests the homicide was drug related. The investigation is ongoing.

The San Marcos Police Department is not available for interviews.