Cesar Olalde (Nash Police Department)
An 18-year-old in Nash, Texas, massacred his parents and siblings under the belief that they were “cannibals” who were out to “eat him,” according to a probable cause affidavit.
Cesar Olalde faces charges for capital murder in the deaths of his parents, his older sister, and little brother, according the information filed by Bowie County prosecutors on Wednesday. The victims were identified as siblings Lisbet Olalde and Oliver Olalde, and parents Reuben Olalde and Aida Garcia-Mendoza.
A probable cause affidavit said that the defendant on Tuesday committed the massacre at 563 Lemon Acres, his family’s home, shooting each of the victims “repeatedly.”
“Officers received word from friends and family that the suspect lived in the residence with his mother, father, adult sister, and younger brother,” the affidavit said.
The “barricaded suspect” engaged in a “brief standoff” with responding Nash Police Department officers before he was arrested, the affidavit said. Cops said they arrived on scene at 10:48 a.m. that day. Authorities said that Joseph Flieder, a witness who fled the residence, told cops that the suspect stated he had killed the rest of his family. Flieder was described as a co-worker of Lisbet’s who had gone to check on her when she didn’t show up for work.
“He further stated that other friends and family of [Lisbet’s] had called the church looking for information as to her whereabouts,” court documents said. “Flieder stated that he and his wife responded to the family’s residence but could not get anyone to the door.”
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When Flieder and an Olalde family member forced their way into the residence, the killer was still holding the murder weapon and made incriminating statements, the affidavit continued.
“Flieder had his wife exit the residence and he continued to speak with Cesar,” the affidavit said. “Flieder informed me that Cesar made statements that he had killed his family because they were cannibals, and they were going to eat him.”
Flieder told cops that Cesar Olalde pointed the gun at him, as well, according to cops.
“Flieder reported that the suspect pointed the firearm at him repeatedly during their contact and that at one point, he retrieved a knife and brandished that as well,” the filing said.
Beyond this harrowing witness account, the defendant himself allegedly called 911 and “stated numerous times that he had pulled the trigger and that he had killed his family.”
Inside the residence, authorities said they found each of the victims shot multiple times and deceased inside a bathroom. Investigators said that it looked like the victims were shot in other parts of the residence and dragged into the bathroom.
Responding police said there was “blood spatter on multiple surfaces” and “multiple spent cartridge casing on the floor.”
“[T]he Defendant, heretofore on or about May 23, 2023, did then and there intentionally or knowingly cause the death of an individual, namely, Aida Garcia-Mendoza, by, shooting Aida Garcia-Mendoza with a gun and/or firearm, and the Defendant did then and there intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another individual and/or individuals, namely, Reuben Olalde and Lisbet Olalde by shooting Reuben Olalde and Lisbet Olaide with a firearm, and the murders were committed during the same criminal transaction,” said the charging document.
A second count said that the defendant murdered his brother Oliver, who was not yet 10 years old.
Bowie County court records show that Jeff Harrelson was appointed Olalde’s defense attorney by the court.
Olalde, listed at 5’5″ and 143 pounds in Bi-State Detention Center records, remains behind bars on a $10,000,000 bond.
Read the probable cause affidavit here.
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