Authorities in Texas said that two teenagers killed an uninvolved guy and injured another after they opened fire on an apartment in a misguided attempt to target a romantic rival.
In connection with the death of 41-year-old Marcos Cotto Torres, 17-year-olds Fernando Amaya and Christopher Portillo Luna are charged with murder and other offenses. The crime happened in west Houston, and according to the police, jealously over a girlfriend had fatal results.
The Assault
On March 18, just before one in the morning, the commotion broke out at an apartment complex. Officers found two casualties when they got there. Torres had gunshot wounds to the back of his head and torso when he was discovered unconscious in a bedroom above. At the site, paramedics declared him dead. After being shot in the buttocks, another man was taken to the hospital and is thought to be alive.
A man suspected of having a relationship with Amaya’s girlfriend was the intended target, but he escaped unscathed, according to the police.
The Prelude to Violence
Investigators found that Amaya thought his girlfriend was having an affair with another guy who shared the apartment. Police were later informed by the girlfriend that Amaya had threatened to “shoot up the apartment” before committing himself.
Amaya allegedly carried out that threat with Portillo Luna in tow. According to authorities, the teenagers were seen escaping the site in a white SUV that was connected to one of their families on surveillance tape.
Investigators found 84 shot casings from an AK-style rifle at the location. The flat was severely damaged, with windows and walls covered in bullet holes.
The Repercussions
Amaya was caught by police within hours of the incident, and Portillo Luna was taken into jail a few days later. Both teenagers are still behind bars on more than $1 million in bail. On April 29, they are expected to appear in court again.
This terrible tragedy highlights the terrible effects of impetuous, violent acts motivated by envy, leaving a society to deal with the needless death toll.
