Man arrested in connection with teen's death

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Authorities arrested one of the men connected to the death of 13-year-old Sophia Martinez on Thursday night.

Austin police said they, with the help of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, arrested 23-year-old Jose Garcia-Zavala at a convenience store in the 7600 block of Bluff Springs in Southeast Austin.

Zavala-Garcia was arrested for an active Parole Violation Warrant. Detectives originally interviewed Zavala-Garcia the day of Martinez' death but at that time, they did not file any charges.

The following day, Jan. 2, Zavala-Garcia failed to show up to a scheduled meeting with his parole officer, so authorities issued the warrant for his arrest.

Garcia-Zavala has not been charged in connection with Sophia's death.

Investigators said they are still waiting on results from forensic tests to come back to determine whether or not any additional charges will be filed on either of the suspects. 

Police are still looking for Mario Hernandez, 23 who is charged with indecency with a child and well as endangering a child.

According to court documents, the friend who was with Sophia told police that she had seen the Hernandez kissing Sophia at his home on New Year's Eve.

Sophia and her 15-year-old friend slipped away from where they were supposed to be spending the holiday and were taken to the home of Hernandez and his roommate. Sophia was unresponsive on New Year's morning and was taken by one of the men to another home and left in the driveway.

She was pronounced dead at a hospital that afternoon.