Leslie Reyes, a 35-year-old Hispanic woman, was tragically found shot to death along with her 16-year-old daughter, Esly Jimenez Erzo, in their southeast Houston apartment on June 12, 2021. The bodies were discovered by a family member who went to check on them after they failed to show up for a birthday party. The Houston Police Department responded to the scene and confirmed that both victims had died from gunshot wounds.
The investigation into their deaths is being led by the HPD's homicide department, but as of now, no suspects have been named.
In a separate incident, another Leslie Reyes, a 19-year-old Hispanic woman, was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend, Juan Carlos Mata, outside her apartment in Pasadena, Texas. This tragic event occurred on June 29, 2023. Mata, a 20-year-old Hispanic man, had been waiting for Reyes to return from her shift at O'Reilly Auto Parts. When she arrived, Mata shot her in the head and then fired a couple of shots into the air before fleeing the scene. Reyes' family found her body and called 911. Mata was later found dead by suicide near a makeshift memorial for Reyes. The Pasadena Police Department is treating the case as a murder-suicide.
Both cases highlight the devastating impact of domestic violence and the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in bringing justice to the victims and their families. The investigations into these tragic deaths continue, with the hope that the perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.
