2 arrested after body found in burning vehicle in San Jacinto County

Alex Mejia Pineda, 33 and Alex Herrera Calderon, 24 (Source: Houston Police Department)

Two men have been arrested in connection with the death of a man on Nov. 10, 2024, according to the Houston Police Department. 

Homicide investigators say the body of 28-year-old Erik Eduardo Zavala-Flores was found inside a burning vehicle just before 3:30 a.m. in a remote area near Shell Oil Road in San Jacinto County. An autopsy revealed Zavala-Flores died from being shot before his body was burned.

Investigators say he was last seen at a bar at 9631 Jensen Dr. in the Eastex-Jensen area of Houston.

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The investigation and witness statements revealed Zavala-Flores was shot in the parking lot of the bar, loaded into his pickup and driven away by a suspect. A second suspect followed in his own vehicle. They took Zavala-Flores to a remote area and set fire to his truck with him inside.

The suspects have been identified as 33-year-old Alex Mejia Pineda and 24-year-old Alex Herrera Calderon.

Herrera Calderon was arrested by Houston Police SWAT officers on Nov. 20 and charged with tampering with evidence - a human corpse.

Mejia Pineda was arrested on Dec. 16 in Huntsville by members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. He has been charged with murder.