0 1 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁bet rayed ▁and ▁killed ▁by ▁an ▁alleg ed ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el . ▁Several ▁people ▁paid ▁t ribute ▁to ▁him ▁online ▁by ▁creating ▁a ▁Facebook ▁page ▁and ▁upload ing ▁photos ▁and ▁rap ▁music ▁videos ▁in ▁his ▁memory . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁Mario ▁Alberto ▁Pe ña , ▁known ▁as ▁" Pop o " ▁or ▁" Com and ante ▁Pop o " ▁( English : ▁" Comm ander ▁Pop o "), ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁City , ▁Texas , ▁United ▁States , ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Roma , ▁Texas , ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁criminal ▁career ▁for ▁a ▁local ▁Tex an ▁street ▁gang . ▁He ▁eventually ▁joined ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el , ▁a ▁criminal ▁group ▁based ▁in ▁T ama ul ip as , ▁Mexico . ▁In ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el , ▁Pe ña ▁was ▁a ▁regional ▁leader ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁in ▁T ama ul ip as ▁known ▁as ▁La ▁Rib ere ña , ▁which ▁s its ▁across ▁St arr ▁County , ▁Texas . ▁Though ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁Pe ña ▁operated ▁primarily ▁in ▁Mexico ▁and ▁maintained ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁Valley . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Pe ña ▁and ▁an ▁accomp lice , ▁Daniel ▁B az án , ▁committed ▁a ▁drive - by ▁shooting ▁at ▁a ▁residence ▁in ▁Al to ▁Bon ito ▁He ights , ▁Texas . ▁According