Sheriff’s Office reports violent crime in Glidden

GLIDDEN – The Sheriff’s Department investigated and arrested a man allegedly involved in a homicide and arson combination in mid-May that left one man dead.

Less than an hour after midnight on Saturday, May 11, the Columbus Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire call at 1000 Old McDonald Road in Glidden along with the Columbus Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office.

Once on the scene, the CVFD promptly put out the fire before locating the deceased man later identified as Ernesto Romero-Vital, 35, of Eagle Lake.

After successfully extinguishing the fires, CVFD contacted the State Fire Marshall Office to submit a request for Arson Investigators to determine the nature of the fire’s origin. Their investigation revealed that the fire was intentionally set.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Billy Hefner ordered an autopsy to investigate the nature of Romero-Vital’s death. The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that his death was indeed a homicide.

After an investigation by county police departments, Paulino Valle Jr., 30, of Glidden was arrested for his alleged involvement as the main party responsible for both the homicide and the fire.

A combination of the Texas Department of Public Safety -Ranger Division, Texas State Fire Marshall’s Office, Colorado County Constable, Pct. 1, and Columbus Police Department and the Colorado County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation and the arrest.