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2 men, 1 woman charged in connection with murder of missing Harris County juvenile found in Liberty County

The victim, who cannot be positively identified until DNA testing and an autopsy is performed, was reported missing in Harris County last week.

CLEVELAND, Texas — Two men and a woman man have been charged in connection with the death of a missing Harris County juvenile.

Randy Salinas, 26, of Channelview and Cade Cates, 23, of Liberty County, have been charged in the death of a juvenile that deputies say is Cates' half-brother according to a news release from the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.

A third arrest has been made in connection with the charred remains located in a burn pile near a home in the northern part of the county. Cates' girlfriend Kathryn Alexander was present at the time of the murder and helped dispose of the body, according to the release. She was arrested Thursday evening and charged with murder.

Salinas and Cates also face murder charges and investigators believe Cates is the victim's half-brother. 

The victim, who cannot be positively identified until DNA testing and an autopsy is performed, was reported missing in Harris County last week the release said.

Deputies received a tip on Saturday, March 20, 2021, from a family member of the victim that he had been killed and buried in north Liberty County off County Road 3015 according to the release.

Deputies went to the location and conducted a preliminary search of a five acre plot of land but were prevented searching more areas until they obtained a search warrant.

Family members requested help from Texas EquuSearch but their policy is to wait for law enforcement authorization but deputies were still working to secure a search warrant.

During a joint search by deputies and Texas Rangers on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, human remains were found at a burn pile near Cates' residence according to the release.

After more searching deputies and rangers found the partially burned and decomposed body of a male buried among debris from the burn pile the release said.

Both Cates, who was initially arrested on an unassociated robbery warrant, and Salinas, who was brought in by Harris County Precinct Three deputy constables, were questioned by Liberty County deputies.

Based on evidence discovered in the investigation both Cates and Salinas were arrested on murder charges.

Deputies say that currently they have no clear motive for the murder and that it is alleged that the victim is Cates' half-brother.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office and Texas Rangers are continuing to investigate.

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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.

From an updated Liberty County Sheriff's Office news release... 

Due to the on-going murder investigation, Capt. Billy Knox, Commander of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, has advised that a third person, Kathryn Alexander (age unknown) and the girl friend of Cade Cates, was arrested late this evening and charged with murder. 

The follow-up investigation revealed that Alexander was present at the time of the murder and helped with the disposal of the body. Kathryn Alexander has been placed in the Liberty County Jail as the investigation continues.  

From an initial Liberty County Sheriff's Office news release...

According to Liberty County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division Capt. Billy Knox, 26 year old Randy Norlan Salinas of Channelview and 23 year old Cade Cates who lives on CR 3015 in north Liberty County have been arrested and charged with the murder of a yet to be identified and confirmed juvenile who was reported missing earlier last week. 

Various sources of information began to come to light when the LCSO received a call on Saturday at 12:52pm from a family member of a missing juvenile from Harris County to the effect that it was alleged the juvenile had been killed and was now buried in Liberty County in the vicinity of CR 3015.

Responding deputies conducted a preliminary search near a five acre plot of land but was prevented from searching other areas until a search warrant could be secured. 

Meanwhile family members of the missing juvenile contacted Texas EquuSearch asking for searchers to search the area off CR 3015. 

However, the policy of that search organization prevents them from conducting any such search without the authorization of the investigating law enforcement agency and at that time other events were in progress by the Sheriff’s Office to secure a warrant and to investigate other pieces of information that continued to stream into the agency.

On Tuesday a joint investigation and search between the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Rangers located a burn pile near the residence of Cade Cates on CR 3015 where human remains were found. A continuing search turned up the partially burned and decomposed body of a male buried among the burn pile debris.

Capt. Knox said that Cade Cates was initially arrested on a robbery warrant not associated with this murder case and Harris County Pct. 3 Deputy Constables brought Randy Salinas to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office where both men were interviewed regarding the remains found buried and burned.

There was enough evidence discovered in the investigation to warrant a charge of murder on both Salinas and Cates and they were arrested and placed in the Liberty County Jail. 

At the present time there is no clear motive for this murder. It is alleged that Cates is the half-brother of the reported missing juvenile.

Liberty County Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Judge Larry Wilburn conducted the inquest and ordered an autopsy. 

No positive identification can be made of the human remains until the completion of DNA testing and the results of the autopsy. 

In the meantime the investigation is on-going by both the Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers.

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