One Local Arrested In River Murder Case, Another Still At Large

By ANDY BEHLEN One suspect is in the Fayette County Jail and another is believed to have fled to Mexico in the case of a murder victim found shot to death in the Colorado River near Columbus on July 17.

In a report issued Tuesday, July 26, Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek announced that warrants were issued for Celeste Maldonado, 20 of Ellinger, and Esquiel Cardenas, 20 of La Grange, for aggravated kidnapping. Maldonado turned herself into the Dan R. Beck Justice Center in La Grange last Thursday, July 21. Korenek said investigators believe Cardenas has fled to Mexico.

Authorities identified the victim by fingerprints as Christian Salas, 22 of Giddings. Lt. Troy Neisner of the Colorado County Sheriff’s Office last week said a group of canoeists discovered the body near the Providence Landing area on the Colorado River a short distance upstream from Columbus.

Authorities believe the episode that led to Salas’ death began in Fayette County. Lt. David Beyer of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office said Maldonado and Cardenas kidnapped Salas in Ellinger. 

The murder was particularly gruesome. The Record has learned that the victim was tied up and shot multiple times in the face. Salas’ body was later dumped in the Colorado River.

Beyer declined to answer questions about when the alleged kidnapping took place, where the murder took place or how much time transpired between the kidnapping and murder. He also declined to answer questions about a motive, pending the results of the ongoing investigation.

Beyer said Cardenas is a Mexican citizen and investigators believe he was living in this country illegally.

“Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Investigator William Lund proved to be instrumental in identifying the suspects, victim, securing evidence, and developing a case on the two suspects,” Korenek’s report stated.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, La Grange Police, Smithville Police, and the Colorado County Sheriff’s Office are all participating in the investigation.