Brothers charged in Rodriguez murder

San Marcos Police arrested two brothers last week in connection with the murder of 27-year-old Matthew Jacob Rodriguez Jr.

Jacob Portier, 27, and Jason Portier, 26, are both charged with capital murder by terror threat, a charge that reflects that the murder occurred during the commission of another crime.

Rodriguez was found early on Tuesday, Aug. 14, dead from gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the Park North Condos at 1624 Aquarena Springs Drive. He was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Pct. 1, Place 2 Maggie Moreno.

According to affidavits of probable cause, police believe Jacob Portier shot Rodriguez during the commission of a robbery. Jason Portier was similarly charged because Texas law considers someone who was a party to an offense as culpable as the person who committed it.

Those documents also indicate the murder may have been related to a drug deal gone wrong.

Police found a small “weigh scale” in Rodriguez’ pocket and a text on his cell phone “that read that the person (sending the text) was coming from the Austin area to meet with the victim to buy drugs.”

Police also learned from witnesses that three men were seen leaving the area in a silver Chevrolet Cruze. Investigators pursued additional information on both the cell phone that sent the text and the vehicle.

The phone, it was learned, went back to Austin on the 14th, then the next day was “traveling east through Louisiana headed toward Mississippi. Investigators also learned that Jacob Portier, who was living in Austin, was from Hattiesburg, MS, and had leased a silver Chevrolet Cruze. The dealer who leased the vehicle was able to provide a location history for it that included a Red Roof Inn in Round Rock. A license plate reader placed the car on Interstate 35 in San Marcos shortly before Rodriguez’ body was found.

Police also identified “several associates” of Jacob Portier, including one who purchased the cell phone they were tracking at the San Marcos Wal-Mart using a stolen credit card. Although the associate presented the credit card, Wal-Mart employees identified Portier as the one who bought the phone.

The brothers were taken into custody on Thursday at the Round Rock Red Roof Inn after police established surveillance there. “After being mirandized, Jason Portier admitted to being present at the time of the shooting resulting in the death of Matthew Jacob Rodriguez,” the document says.

The affidavits didn’t reference any similar statements from Jacob Portier and also did not specify what type of drugs they suspect were involved or who the third man seen leaving in the vehicle might have been.

Moreno ordered both brothers to be held in lieu of a $750,000 bond. Both were still behind bars on Saturday, Aug. 18.

The case marks the first homicide of the year in San Marcos; though there were five that occurred in 2017, including that of Police Officer Kenneth Copeland, who was fatally shot on Dec. 4 while serving a warrant.