A murder-for-hire plot unraveled in Harris County, where prosecutors say two men stalked their target for days before opening fire in a calculated attack that left the victim fighting for his life.
According to court documents, Matthew Xavier Rosas and his stepfather, Ricardo Antonio Obando, allegedly surveilled the victim for several days, learning his routine before carrying out the attack.
On the day of the shooting, Rosas is accused of driving Obando to the victim’s location, where Obando then shot him in the neck and torso.
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Authorities say Rosas later admitted to investigators that Obando was paid to carry out the attack and that Obando gave him $300 to drive him to the scene. When Rosas was arrested on Feb. 14, officers found $220 in his possession, including two new $100 bills, which he claimed were the remains of his payment. He also had 1.03 grams of cocaine in his pocket.
The men were allegedly paid by an unidentified individual to plan and carry out the shooting, but authorities have not yet revealed who was behind the payment.
The shooting happened at 6:19 a.m. while the victim was driving his employer’s vehicle. After being shot, he managed to pull over and call 911.
Investigators were able to identify the suspects using surveillance footage from multiple cameras. Prosecutors emphasized the calculated nature of the attack, stating that Rosas and Obando followed the victim for days before the shooting.
“The danger to the community posed by someone who was willing to participate in a planned murder for hire... really poses an inarticulable risk,” the judge said during a court hearing.
Both suspects are now in jail, charged with attempted capital murder.