A guard tower and razor wire at a prison in Texas. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
TEXAS - A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murder and dismemberment of a commercial vehicle driver, a crime that spanned across West Texas and New Mexico.
Alejandro Rodriguez Hernandez received a life sentence for murder and an additional 20 years for abuse of a corpse from a Winkler County jury on July 16, 2025. The conviction follows a collaborative investigation by the Texas Rangers, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other local and state law enforcement agencies.
Winkler County is in the southwest part of the Texas Panhandle.
Murder of Alexis Sanchez Azcuy
The backstory:
The investigation began in March 2022 after 48-year-old Alexis Sanchez Azcuy was reported missing to the Winkler County Sheriff's Office when his abandoned truck was discovered. Sanchez Azcuy had last contacted his family days before his vehicle was found. Over subsequent months, investigators located Sanchez Azcuy’s scattered remains in Winkler County, Texas, and Lea County, New Mexico, confirming he had been murdered and his body dismembered.
Cell phone data and DNA evidence identified Rodriguez Hernandez as a suspect. He was arrested in Hobbs, New Mexico, on July 11, 2022, initially on a charge of tampering with evidence. As the investigation progressed, he was subsequently charged with Sanchez Azcuy’s murder and abuse of a corpse, then extradited to Texas for trial.
What they're saying:
"Ramon Alejandro Rodriguez Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years for the cold-blooded murder and dismemberment of his victim," said FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge John Morales. He added that Hernandez "scattered the remains across the West Texas region, believing he could evade justice."
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) West Texas Region Chief Jose Sanchez emphasized the significance of interagency cooperation, stating, "Thanks to the strong partnerships the Texas Department of Public Safety has at the local, state and federal level, Ramon Alejandro Rodriguez Hernandez won’t be a threat to the public ever again."
Winkler County District Attorney Amanda Navarette praised the verdict, noting, "Alexis Sanchez Azcuy was brutally murdered and dismembered, his family had to endure months of distress while he was missing and navigate the long process of the identification of his remains." She added that the swift verdict and sentence by the Winkler County jurors sent "a clear message that violent, heinous crimes will not be tolerated."
What you can do:
Authorities ask anyone with additional information regarding this case to contact the DPS District Office in Midland at (432) 498-2130.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Department of Public Safety.