ARANSAS PASS (July 2, 2012)--Lawrence A. Mireles, 18, was in the San Patricio County Jail Monday facing charges in the death of a 16-year-old Texas gulf coast girl who had been missing for several days.
Aransas Pass police said they took Mireles into custody Saturday on a warrant stemming from the murder of Jenna Hernandez.
A fisherman found her body Thursday close to the water.
Authorities have not disclosed how Hernandez died.
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that she had been texting with someone before leaving to meet the person.
Donna Hernandez, the teen's aunt, said Mireles is a distant cousin of the murdered girl.
Mireles' attorney, Steve Fischer, told the Caller-Times his client is innocent.
He said the pair dated from 2007 to 2009 before parting ways on good terms.
He said that after losing touch, they became friends last year.
