Suspect Arrested in Connection to Homicide at Temple’s Economy Inn

The Temple Police Department, in collaboration with several Texas law enforcement agencies, has apprehended a male suspect linked to a homicide case. On September 10, officers from the Temple Police Department conducted a welfare check at the Economy Inn, situated at 205 W Ave G, where they discovered the lifeless body of a female victim. Surveillance footage from the hotel revealed that the victim and a male suspect had checked in on September 9, with no other individuals entering the room.

Following the grim discovery, an extensive manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies was initiated. Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspect, a 29-year-old Colombian National, had been attempting to flee the country through Austin and Dallas Airports. The Temple Criminal Investigations Division collaborated with the Belton Police Department, Texas Rangers, Austin and Dallas Police Departments, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Enforcement and Removal Operations Team (ERO) to conduct surveillance and successfully take the suspect into custody.

Temple Detectives are currently en route to Dallas to conduct a thorough interview with the suspect. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of these law enforcement agencies, the suspect was safely apprehended without posing further danger to the public.

The Temple Police Department has identified the deceased female as 28-year-old Yessica Diaz-Pineda, a resident of Temple. The suspect, 29-year-old Yeison Bejarano-Berrios, is now facing charges of murder and is being held in the Dallas County Jail.

This case remains under investigation, and anyone with pertinent information is urged to contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500 or the Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477, where callers have the option to report anonymously.