Harris County deputies arrested Baldomero Ortiz after he confessed to fatally shooting his cousin, Alfaro Auner, during a dispute.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A man is in custody following a deadly shooting that took place Sunday afternoon in a northwest Harris County neighborhood.
It happened on Pinewood Place near the Grand Parkway in the Tomball area.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, when they got to the scene, they found 56-year-old Alfaro Auner dead from gunshot wounds in the yard of a residence.
Investigators said Auner had been outside when he was approached by two men and gunfire broke out. The suspects left the scene before deputies arrived.
Detectives determined the incident was not random and that Auner had a prior history with the individuals involved.
On Sunday evening, homicide detectives identified one of the suspects as 51-year-old Baldomero Ortiz, who is also Auner’s cousin. Investigators believe the fatal encounter stemmed from an earlier dispute between the two men.
Ortiz was tracked down and arrested. He reportedly confessed to the shooting and told investigators he had accidentally shot himself in the leg during the altercation.
He is currently being treated for his injury at a local hospital and will be transferred to the Harris County Jail to face a murder charge.
The second suspect has not yet been publicly identified.
Anyone with additional information about this case is urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at 713-274-9100 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477).