A 30-year-old man arrested during a smuggling attempt was charged in connection with a homicide investigation, jail records show.

Eliezer Morales was arraigned on Thursday on a murder charge. His bond was set at $500,000.

Morales was arrested on Oct. 2 along with two teens as he was being smuggled into the country, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

READ MORE: McAllen murder suspect arrested during human smuggling attempt

The McAllen Police Department previously identified Morales as a suspect in the death of Raymundo Martinez-Gutierrez, who died after the vehicle he was driving crashed into a business on Dec. 19, 2023, at the 2800 block of Business Highway 83 in McAllen.

Officers at the scene said there were multiple gunshot wounds on Martinez-Gutierrez.

A criminal complaint identified Morales and a second individual — Jose Geovani Ipina-Rosales — as the suspects who “chased Raymundo in a white Ford Expedition, cut him off in his silver Mazda 3, and shot him from the front passenger side.”

Jail record show Morales remains in custody as of Tuesday evening. He also faces two drug charges he was arraigned for during his initial arrest.