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Bond lowered for Mission man accused of hiding girlfriend’s body in attic

Bond lowered for Mission man accused of hiding girlfriend’s body in attic
3 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago Thursday, January 30 2025 Jan 30, 2025 January 30, 2025 11:02 PM January 30, 2025 in News - Local
Reynaldo Mercado at his bond reduction hearing on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. KRGV photo

A suspect in a Mission murder investigation had his bond lowered on Thursday.

Reynaldo Mercado III was initially arrested on charges of murder and tampering with evidence after the Mission Police Department said they found the body of a missing woman in his attic, according to previous reports.

Mercado’s bond was initially set at $3.5 million.

READ MORE: Suspects in death of Mission woman burned evidence in BBQ pit

Editza Gomez had been missing for two weeks when her body was found in the attic in September 2023, Police identified Mercado as her boyfriend.

A second individual, Kristian Valenzuela Jr., was also arrested in connection with the death.

An affidavit obtained by Channel 5 News said Valenzuela was at Mercado’s home when Mercado allegedly killed her. Valenzuela told police Mercado forced him at gunpoint to help him hide Gomez’s body.

Valenzuela also had his bond set at $3.5 million, but his bond was lowered to $105,000 on Jan. 15.

In a court filing, Mercado’s attorney argued that his bond should also be lowered to $105,000.

The filing called Mercado’s bond “excessive, oppressive and beyond his financial means," and a violation of his eighth and 14th Amendments.

“[Mercado] respectfully argues that the reduction in the co-defendant's bond suggests a reassessment of the factors that support bond amounts in this case,” the filing stated. “Given that the charges against the defendant and the co-defendant are similar in nature, the defendant should be afforded similar consideration.”

On Thursday, Mercado’s bond was reduced to $2,250,000.

Court records show Mercado’s next court hearing is set for April 15, 2025. 

RELATED STORY: ‘I wish I could’ve said goodbye:’ Woman grieves loss of mother found dead in Mission home

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