HOUSTON – Additional details have been released in court Wednesday on the suspect charged in connection with a deadly shooting where two men were ambushed and killed during their daily early morning walks near a southwest Houston park.
The suspect, Charles Ernest Lopez, 25, has been charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of Natanael Reyes, 68, and Guadalupe Flores, 74.
ORIGINAL STORY: 2 retired men killed ambush-style in attack while walking trail near southwest Houston park
Lopez did not show up for his first court appearance on Tuesday following his arrest. His bond was denied by a judge due to the seriousness of the offense.
In district court on Wednesday, Lopez again did not appear, but his attorney went before the judge and read probable cause. Lopez’s bond hearing has been set for Aug. 20.
During the court hearing, it was learned that investigators found the bullet casings are connected to incidents in Harris and Brazoria counties.
KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry confirmed new details through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives/Houston Field Division (ATF Houston).
In April, ATF Houston said an ATF K9 handler and his K9 “Lady” were deployed to a drive-by shooting in Houston where the victim was shot and survived. At the scene, they recovered six fired casings.
When they were deployed to the double homicide at the park, K9 “Lady” alerted to three shell casings at that scene, which linked in NIBIN (the national ballistics database) and connected to a third incident, which we learned in court was Brazoria County.
In the two cases, Lopez allegedly confessed to the April drive-by and June park murders.
Background
On June 27, Houston police responded to a call to 14900 White Heather Drive about 5:45 a.m. in regard to a shooting.
Investigators learned that Reyes and Flores, both retired, were walking in the park when they were gunned down in an ambush-style attack.
Most of the shots came from behind the men, catching them off guard, and the suspect stood over them and released additional rounds of gunfire from above, according to HPD Sgt. Michael Arrington.
“They were just out here walking,” Arrington said. “None of their pockets were ruffled through, from what we can tell or look like anything was stolen from them. So, it does appear to be more targeted or an ambush-style attack.”
Police said the suspect fled in a white 4-door sedan eastbound from the location.
Investigators later identified the vehicle of interest and, on Monday, June 30, police found the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.
The driver, identified as Lopez, admitted to his role in the shooting, police said. Investigators also learned Lopez lived 8 minutes from the park where the shooting happened.
The motive for the shooting is still under investigation.
According to records, Lopez was given six months of community supervision in 2022 for a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge. Also in 2022, he had a misdemeanor discharge of a firearm in a metro area charge dismissed after completing a gun safety course, 24 hours of community service, and forfeiting the gun, records show.
