Matthew Self, a 17-year-old male from McKinney, Texas, tragically lost his life on March 12, 2004. He was a high school student and a linebacker for the McKinney North High School football team. On the fateful day, Matthew, along with his friends Austin York and Mark Barbosa, visited the home of Rosa Barbosa. Unbeknownst to them, the house was under siege by three armed men—Eddie Williams, Javier Cortez, and Raul Cortez—who were attempting to rob a check-cashing store where Rosa Barbosa
worked. The gunmen had followed Rosa home and were holding her hostage to gain access to the store.
When Matthew and his friends arrived at the Barbosa home, they were ambushed by the gunmen. The intruders forced Matthew, Austin, and Mark into a bedroom and fatally shot them. Rosa Barbosa was also killed during the incident. Matthew was airlifted to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. The brutal crime shocked the community and left a lasting impact on the families of the victims.
The investigation into the murders took several years to yield results. Initially, the case remained unsolved, with multiple false confessions complicating the process. It wasn't until 2007 that authorities received a credible tip leading to the arrests of Eddie Williams and the Cortez brothers. Raul Cortez was eventually convicted and sentenced to death, while his brother Javier Cortez received a four-year federal prison sentence for weapons charges. Eddie Williams was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder, having cooperated with the authorities in exchange for a reduced sentence.
The case, known as the McKinney Quadruple Murder or the Truett Street Massacre, highlighted the senseless violence that claimed the lives of four individuals, including Matthew Self. The community continues to remember the victims and the tragic events of that day.
