Weekend Shootings Roundup: 2 More Fatalities Reported

HOUSTON, TX — There were two reported shooting fatalities reported over the weekend, which is down from previous weekends in Houston. In addition, two suspects in previous murder cases (one of them from July 2017) were arrested and charged last week. Here's the rundown of shootings reported by the Houston Police Department.

Bellaire Area Fatality

A man believed to be in his 20's was shot dead at the Windswept Garden Apartments, located at 6320 Windswept Drive, around midnight on Sunday. His identity is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. HPD patrol officers responded to a reported shooting and found the male victim lying in the apartment complex parking lot suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Witnesses reported the victim was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle when two males approached. One suspect approached the victim on the passenger side, ordered him out of the car and then shot him as he exited. Both suspects, described only as Hispanic males, fled in the scene in an older model black pickup truck.

NW Houston Shooting Fatality
Houston police are investigating the deadly shooting of Alexander Montoya, 40, that occurred at the Summercrest Apartments (3950 Hollister Drive) about 7 a.m. on Sunday (March 11). Montoya was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. According to the report, HPD patrol officers responded to a reported shooting at the apartment complex. Upon arrival, they found Montoya suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Witnesses described seeing a Hispanic female and male walking away from the scene, eastbound on Pitner Street.

Girl, 14, One Of 2 Shot At 5th Ward Block Party
Q 21-year-old man and 14-year-old girl were shot at a block party at 3400 Liberty Road around 8:10 p.m. on Sunday (March 12). Both were transported to an area hospital in stable condition. HPD reports that patrol officers were dispatched to a reported shooting at the block party. Upon arrival, they found one victim inside a restaurant and a second victim across the street inside a convenience store. The suspected gunman, described only as an unknown black male, had fled the scene prior to the officers’ arrival.

Suspect In Feb. 28 Murder Arrested
Houston police have arrested and charged Isaiah Murphy, an 18-year-old black man, who's a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man at 4708 McEwen about 11:20 p.m. on February 28. Murphy is charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in the 176th State District Court. The victim, Gerardo Lopez, 64, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to HPD, Lopez was walking on an easement between two residences in the 4700 block of McEwen and Siegel when he was shot by an unknown suspect. A neighbor went to the area to investigate and saw a male suspect run from the easement onto Cavalcade. As the neighbor confronted the suspect in the parking lot at 300 Cavalcade, the suspect attempted to steal his vehicle but then fled the area on foot. Further investigation led to the identification of Isaiah Murphy as a suspect in this case and, on Friday (March 9), he was arrested without incident.

Suspect Arrested In July 2017 Deadly Shooting
Fransisko Morgan, a 40-year-old black man, was arrested and charged in the fatal shooting of a man that occurred at 14600 Buffalo Speedway about 12:10 a.m. on July 2, 2017. Morgan is charged with murder in the 263rd State District Court.
The victim, Termaine Harris, 33, suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to the HPD report, Harris and another man became involved in a physical altercation. During the fight, the suspect produced a pistol and shot Harris as well as a witness. The witness, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, was also transported to the hospital where he was treated and released. The suspect fled the scene. Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified Morgan as the suspect in this case and, on Thursday (March 8), he was arrested without incident in Conroe by U.S. Marshals.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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