An immigration lawyer from Arlington, known for his commitment to his community and vulnerable individuals in need, died last month in his hometown in Mexico.
Originally from Durango, Mexico, Julio Paredes, 50, was a man of passion for justice and advocacy, his friends and family say.
Paredes died July 27 after attending a fair in Durango, Mexico, according to Maria Aguilar, a community organizer who worked with Paredes in North Texas.
The incident happened during a fight in the parking lot of the fair where he was allegedly run over by Jahaziel Adonay, according to El Sol de Durango, a local media outlet. Adonay was arrested by local police, according to El Sol.
Paredes died from complications from the hit in a local hospital, according to Aguilar.
By instructions of the state governor of Durango, the family is receiving support and an investigation is underway by local Mexican authorities. The case is being investigated as a homicide.
He devoted his career to providing transparent, impactful, and tailored services in the fields of personal injury law, immigration, wills, and beyond, according to his website.
Paredes was a husband and father of five.
“My dad knew the value of education. It’s something that he always instilled in us,” said Salma Paredes, daughter of Julio Paredes, in a Facebook post where she created a hashtag movement with #justiciaparajulio, which means justice for Julio. “I thought I would lose my dad to old age. I thought I would take care of him as an old man with gray hair.”
His life was cut short, sending shockwaves through the lives of those who knew and loved him.
“Julio assisted me on many projects, while we both started our firms… this is tough,” said Billy Clark, a law school classmate, in a Facebook post.
“When I started law school, I was struck by the amazing amount of dedicated, smart and caring people that were in my class. One of them was Julio Paredes,” said Laura Strain, a law school classmate, in a Facebook post.
Facebook posts moved the Mexican community to action, including notable figures like Emma Coronel, the wife of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, a former drug lord within the Sinaloa Cartel. She shared posts on her Instagram account, amplifying the tag #justiciaparajulio.
The social media movement started by Paredes’ oldest daughter with the hashtag #justiciaparajulio has garnered thousands of comments and reactions across social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram andTikTok.
After moving to Texas, Paredes earned his accounting degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, which he leveraged to establish his own tax business in North Texas. He later obtained his law degree from the University of North Texas, allowing him to launch a legal practice where he represented and advocated for immigrant families.
“Now I’m left with the fear that justice won’t be served,” Salma said in a Facebook post. “I cannot imagine my life without him. Please, if you knew my dad, please let people know how great of a man he was.”