Three men were indicted this week on capital murder charges, a capital felony, by a grand jury at the Ector County Courthouse.
The three men charged were 28-year-old David Dearick, 35-year-old Michael Silvas, and 36-year-old Johnny Aguirre.
Silvas and Aguirre were indicted on the charge of fatally shooting 26-year-old Ryan Stebbins in early February while attempting to steal Stebbins’ work vehicle in the 2200 block of Richmond Street.
A probable cause affidavit stated that Silvas was dropped off outside of a nearby residence and entered the driver’s side of Stebbins’ truck. Stebbins was already seated in the back of the vehicle, and video footage reportedly shows Stebbins exit the back driver side door and run to the residence in front of the vehicle, saying he had been shot as Silvas drives off.
The next morning, Aguirre was arrested after being found in a vehicle reported stolen, unrelated to Stebbins, and was interviewed by OPD investigators, the report detailed. Aguirre told OPD he had dropped off Silvas in the 2200 block of Richmond Street so Silvas could steal the vehicle.
Aguirre further told officers Silvas had shot Stebbins, the report stated. Silvas was arrested and both he and Aguirre were charged with capital murder. Silvas had a $250,000 bond set for the charge and Aguirre did not have a bond set.
Silvas is also connected to the murder Dearick was charged with. Dearick, Silvas and five others were arrested and charged with capital murder in early March after they reportedly kidnapped 26-year-old Fred McNeal, and assaulted and sexually assaulted him before burying his body.
McNeal had been reported missing by his sister in September, and his body was later found in a shallow grave on a property near Sheep Pasture Road and Farm to Market Road 181.
The five other suspects charged are Wesley Dickenson, Jose Ramirez, Jennifer Rogers, Mikel Stegall Jr., and Eddie Barnes, who have not yet been indicted.
An affidavit detailed that after the seven reportedly kidnapped McNeal on Aug. 14, they took him to a travel trailer in the 1800 block of South Shawnee Trail, where he was reportedly bound, assaulted and sexually assaulted, and later died while being held by the suspects.
Earlier this month, Dearick was additionally charged with escape, a class A misdemeanor, after escaping home detention he was sentenced to after being convicted of three counts of theft and one count of an accident involving damage to a vehicle in February, a probable cause affidavit stated.
Dearick was later found by post sentence monitoring officers and taken back to the Ector County Detention Center. Dearick has two bonds totaling $251,000.
All three suspects are currently still being held in the detention center.
Should the three be found guilty of capital murder, they could either be sentenced to death or life without parole.
No arraignment hearing had been set as of Wednesday for the three to be formally issued the charges, court records show.
