A suspected killer has been thrown in a Texas jail after one of his would-be victims played dead and then later informed the authorities about the killings.

Eiber Gabriel Sira-Vargas, 29, was arrested in July in connection to the murder of 19-year-old Alexis Jose Vegas. According to ABC affiliate KSAT, Vegas was found by a stretch of road with multiple gunshot wounds. It was reported by the outlet that Vegas’ body was discovered near a drainage ditch off a stretch of southbound U.S. Highway 281 at around 3:30 p.m. on July 1. Police reported that they found shell casings and zip ties near the victims body but were unsure who might have been behind it.

It was later reported that investigators got a break in the case when they learned that an armed robbery occurred prior to the murder which allegedly left one person hospitalized. Local CBS affiliate KENS reported that the man, who has not been publicly identified, was initially not forthcoming with police.

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It was later revealed that the man had been with Vegas when he had been killed. KENS reportedly stated that he and Vegas had been kidnapped by three armed robbers and forced into a vehicle. While in the suspects vehicle, Witness 1 indicated that the suspect in the front passenger seat aimed a firearm at him throughout the ordeal, the affidavit says, according to the report. He was able to describe the location where the suspect vehicle stopped, which matched the scene of the crime.

According to the outlet, the kidnappers eventually stopped the car and told Vegas and the man to get out of the car. The man later told the police the suspect then opened fire and struck them both with bullets.

KENS reported that the victim said he pretended to be dead until the suspects left. Later, the outlet stated he was able to identify Sira-Vargas from a photo lineup. According to court documents, Sira-Vargas is charged with aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon and capital murder by terroristic threat or other felony. He has a pre-indictment hearing scheduled for Jan. 29, 2025.

News of the arrest comes after a Colorado dentist was accused of killing his wife with poisoned protein shakes. James Craig was accused of killing his wife by poisoning her protein shakes has been charged with trying to get a fellow jail inmate to kill a detective investigating the murder case.

Craig now faces two additional charges of solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit perjury. Although the charging document did not reveal who Craig allegedly wanted dead, Joe Moylan, a spokesperson for Aurora police in Colorado, confirmed late Wednesday that the intended victim was an Aurora police detective. As of Thursday, online court records did not list a lawyer representing Craig.

A judge permitted Craig’s most recent attorney, Harvey Steinberg, to withdraw from the case on Nov. 21 due to a professional conflict as Craig was about to face trial for first-degree murder in the death of Angela Craig. The following day, prosecutors filed two new charges against Craig. His trial has been postponed indefinitely.

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