HOUSTON – Two arrests have been made in the slaying of a couple in northwest Houston nearly two years ago, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Thursday.
Deputies said Louis Malik Santee, 22, and Christian Cavazos have been charged with capital murder in the deaths of 63-year-old Ramiro Reyes and his wife, 61-year-old Rosalva Reyes.
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to try to identify other gang members who may have been involved in this case. May the deceased couple Rest In Peace. Congrats to our team and partners for putting it all together and disrupting one of the most violent gangs in Harris County. #HouNews #lesm
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) September 9, 2021
What happened?
The couple returned separately to their home on September 25, 2019, around 1:30 a.m. after leaving the hospital from visiting a family member, deputies said.
Deputies said that is when the suspects began shooting at them in the 1100 block of Francitas in north Harris County.
Investigators said Santee and Cavazos were in a black SUV and fired a rifle at Rosalva’s car first. As her husband and son-in-law Adrian Villareal went toward her, the SUV circled back around and fired at them too, deputies said. The couple died.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez vowed to find the people responsible and get them off the streets.
The couple had been married for nearly 40 years. Officials said they are not sure why the couple was shot at.
Suspects’ criminal history
Gonzalez said both Santee and Cavazos were responsible for a number of other crimes, including homicides from an incident at 500 Smart St. on Dec. 27, 2019.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, FBI and other Houston-area agencies identified Santee Cavazos as possible suspects through the investigation into a criminal street gang, Gonzalez said. Investigators said they are continuing to try to identify other gang members who may have been involved in this case.
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