Presidio County faces delays in issuing historical records, with 13 cases still pending review
PRESIDIO COUNTY, TEXAS — More than a century after the Porvenir Massacre, where 15 Mexican men and boys were executed by Texas Rangers, U.S. cavalrymen, and Anglo ranchers, descendants continue their fight to secure official death certificates for their relatives.
According to reporting by The Big Bend Sentinel, the effort to obtain these records began in 2019, with descendants seeking legal recognition of the victims’ deaths as a step toward historical justice. However, five years later, only one certificate has been issued, one was denied, and 13 remain under review in county probate court.
The delay has caused frustration among families, who argue that the process has been unnecessarily stalled. All county offices involved have since turned over, providing renewed hope that the current administration will prioritize the issue.
The massacre took place on January 28, 1918, in the small border village of Porvenir, when a group of Texas lawmen and local ranchers raided the town, executed 15 unarmed men and boys, and left their bodies in the desert. The killings led to the disbandment of Texas Rangers Company B and contributed to increased scrutiny of law enforcement practices in Texas.
Despite the historical significance of the massacre, securing delayed death certificates has been an unprecedented legal challenge. Texas law requires special court-ordered documents to certify deaths that were never officially recorded, making it a complex and rarely used process.
Presidio County officials have acknowledged the difficulty of navigating the bureaucratic hurdles, noting that delayed death certificates are typically issued only one to two years after a person’s death, not more than a century later.
A hearing is expected in county probate court, but no date has been set. Advocates for the certificates say this is a critical step in acknowledging historical injustices and ensuring the victims are properly documented in public records.
For more details on the ongoing effort, visit The Big Bend Sentinel’s full report.
