NASHVILLE, TN – A Honduran national with a history of deportations from the U.S. now faces two counts of homicide in separate incidents in Nashville. Kevin Castro-Garcia, 31, is the prime suspect in the brutal deaths of two men whose remains were found under grisly circumstances.
Elmer Nahum Miranda-Martinez, 37, was discovered in the trunk of a burned-out car in a secluded area on Franklin Limestone Road in late September. Authorities believe Miranda-Martinez was fatally shot before being concealed in the car, which was later set on fire.
In a subsequent revelation, Castro-Garcia is also implicated in the death of Brandon Rivas-Noriega, 26. Rivas-Noriega’s decomposing body was found in the trunk of another car on Rural Hill Road. Earlier in October, he had been reported missing by his family after they received troubling text messages from him. His mother’s recollection places him driving a Ford Focus just two days prior to the ominous texts.
Further investigation led detectives to a house in the Antioch neighborhood of the city, which Rivas-Noriega frequented. Among the significant finds at this location were Rivas-Noriega’s driver’s license and documentation linking to the Rural Hill Road property. An autopsy confirmed that Rivas-Noriega suffered multiple gunshot wounds and, in a chilling detail, revealed that some of his tattoos had been cut off his body.
Currently, Castro-Garcia remains incarcerated, with bail set at a substantial $1.01 million. Notably, he was deported from the U.S. in both 2010 and 2018.