Hector Guajardo-Garcia, a 23-year-old male, was tragically shot and killed on November 23, 2017, in Austin, Texas. The incident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. in the parking lot of a shopping center located at 9616 North Lamar Boulevard, near the intersection with West Rundberg Lane. According to witnesses, an SUV pulled up to the parking lot, and Guajardo-Garcia, along with another individual, approached the vehicle.
Shortly after, multiple gunshots were heard, and Guajardo-Garcia was seen holding his stomach, indicating he had been shot. He was subsequently transported to North Austin Medical Center by private vehicle and later transferred to St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center by STAR Flight helicopter, where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition. Despite medical efforts, Guajardo-Garcia succumbed to his injuries on December 6, 2017.
The investigation revealed that Guajardo-Garcia had been involved in an altercation with the shooter, Samuel Charlez, 23, a few days prior to the incident. The altercation was reportedly related to a narcotics transaction in which Charlez had robbed Guajardo-Garcia. On November 30, 2017, Charlez was arrested by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Following Guajardo-Garcia's death, the charges against Charlez were expected to be upgraded to homicide. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be gunshot trauma to the body, and the death was ruled a homicide.
Witnesses to the shooting reported that the shooter, instead of fleeing the scene, slowly drove past them with the windows down, as if to ensure they saw who had committed the act. This behavior, along with the prior altercation between the two men, provided crucial evidence for the investigators. The case highlighted the dangers associated with narcotics transactions and the violent outcomes that can result from such disputes. The Austin Police Department urged anyone with additional information about the case to contact the Homicide Tip Line or Crime Stoppers to aid in the ongoing investigation.
