Mexican Land Standoff Leads to Arrest in Lawrenceville Homicide Case

LAWRENCEVILLE — A dispute over land in Mexico has resulted in a homicide charge in Gwinnett County. The Gwinnett County Police Department announced today that Mario Rene Lopez-Jolon, 38, of Lawrenceville, has been charged with the death of Guadalupe Garcia Rodriguez.

Lopez-Jolon was apprehended in Huntsville, Alabama, after a tip led detectives to his location.

The case, which has been unfolding since early July, took a critical turn on August 8 when investigators received new information linking the victim to a land dispute with the father of an ex-girlfriend. This revelation led detectives to a residence in Lawrenceville where they conducted multiple interviews.

The interviews identified Lopez-Jolon as a suspect, and with the cooperation of the Huntsville Police Department, he was arrested at a hotel in Huntsville.

TOO MANY ADS? GO AD-FREE
Did You Know?: The ads you see on this site help pay for our website and our work. However, we know some of our readers would rather pay and not see ads. For those users we offer a paid newsletter that contains our articles with no ads.
What You Get: A daily email digest of our articles in full-text with no ads.

Lopez-Jolon now faces charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies. He is currently awaiting extradition to Gwinnett County from Madison County, Alabama.

By The Numbers

• Date of Incident: July 3, 2024 – The body of Guadalupe Garcia Rodriguez was found.
• Age of Victim: 40 years old.
• Age of Suspect: 38 years old.
• Days Until Suspect’s Arrest: 40 days from the discovery of the body to the arrest of Mario Rene Lopez-Jolon.
• Key Locations: Paden Cove Trail in Lawrenceville, Bethesda Church Road, and Hidden Drive (last seen location of the suspect).

The Sources

• Gwinnett County Police Department updates
• Huntsville Police Department arrest reports

Support local journalism in Georgia by contributing to The Georgia Sun, where our commitment to providing free, accessible news without paywalls sets us apart. Your contribution helps us continue delivering in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to Georgians. By supporting us, you ensure that stories about your community, your schools, and your local government are reported with accuracy and integrity.

Stand with us in keeping quality journalism alive and accessible for everyone in Georgia. Your support makes a difference.