On March 2, 2019, Antonio Labrada, a 30-year-old Hispanic man from Texarkana, Texas, was fatally shot by his nephew, Melchor Antonio Labrada Hernandez, 23, at a residence in the 2300 block of Summerhill Road. The incident occurred early in the morning after a heated argument over money. Labrada had driven to Hernandez's residence following a telephone dispute, and a physical altercation ensued in the front yard.
After the fight was broken up, Labrada began walking away when Hernandez retrieved a rifle and shot him once in the chest. Labrada died at the scene, and Hernandez fled before police arrived.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and found a .22 caliber rifle believed to be the weapon used in the shooting. An arrest warrant for murder was issued for Hernandez, who turned himself in to authorities later that day. He was booked into the Bi-State Jail and faced charges of murder, which could result in a sentence of five to 99 years or life in prison if convicted.
The case was complicated by the victim's family's lack of cooperation with the prosecution. The family's unwillingness to speak with the district attorney's office was reportedly due to concerns about Hernandez's immigration status. Despite these challenges, the prosecution moved forward with the case, and Hernandez entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment.
The tragic death of Antonio Labrada and the subsequent legal proceedings have drawn significant attention in the Texarkana community, highlighting issues of family conflict, immigration, and the complexities of the criminal justice system.
