2 brothers held in Texas in Burlco deaths

Authorities in Texas have detained two workers who disappeared from a Burlington County horse farm last weekend following the beating deaths of two fellow employees.

Brothers Carlos and Cesar Reyes have not been charged in the deaths of Alex Aguilar and Marcial Morales-Maldonado, who were found bludgeoned to death last Saturday morning at the Sterling Chase Horse Farm in Springfield.

The Reyeses, who are believed to be from Honduras, are not in the country legally, New Jersey state police said. They are being detained by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The victims, who were from Honduras, lived on the farm year-round with the Reyeses, according to police, and all four had rooms in the same area.

An employee at the farm found Aguilar, 27, and Morales-Maldonado, 48, face down. The Reyes brothers had been sought for questioning since then.

The brothers were taken into custody Tuesday in Houston, according to New Jersey police. They had taken a bus to get there, officials said.

Investigators have questioned the Reyes brothers in hope of learning more about the circumstances surrounding the killings.

The 145-acre Sterling Chase Horse Farm, in the Jobstown section of Springfield, breeds stallions and offers stud services. Police said the double homicide was the first in the rural township in about 20 years.