Eduardo Hernandez Uribe, a happy and hardworking 25-year-old man from Hickory, North Carolina, was remembered by his family as the life of the party, someone who made everyone around him feel loved. His cousin, Athalia Lara, recalled his vibrant personality and the joy he brought to their lives. The family had been planning a cookout for the weekend he was killed.
Instead, they found themselves planning his funeral.
On the evening of Sunday, October 4, 2026, Eduardo was visiting his uncle, 29-year-old Jose Antonio Uribe, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Around 7:45 p.m., gunfire erupted in the parking lot of the Comet Apartments at 127 Garner Road, where Jose lived. Spartanburg Police Department officers responded to 911 calls reporting multiple shots fired. When they arrived, they found both Eduardo and his uncle suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot.
Jose Antonio Uribe was pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics administered first aid to Eduardo before an ambulance rushed him to a local hospital. Despite their efforts, Eduardo succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds and died at the hospital. The Spartanburg County Coroner's Office later confirmed the identities of the two men, revealing they were nephew and uncle.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led Spartanburg police to a suspect. The following day, authorities announced the arrest of Bryan Alexis Ayala, 23, of Anderson. He was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Police did not release further details about a possible motive or what led to the shooting. Ayala was denied bond during his initial court appearance and was taken into custody.
In the wake of the tragedy, Eduardo's family was left reeling from the sudden and violent loss. "It’s a nightmare. It’s a nightmare you don’t want to wake up to,” his cousin Athalia Lara told a reporter. "It’s heartbreaking, and it’s unimaginable." She described the moment her mother delivered the devastating news, saying, "My mom came in my room, saying, Eduardo is dead. Eduardo is dead. I was like, you have to be, you have to be lying." The family said they did not know the man accused of killing their loved ones.
Lara expressed a message of forgiveness toward the alleged shooter, saying, "May God forgive him and that you destroyed many families hearts. You destroyed not one but two lives." The family started a fundraiser to help with funeral expenses and vowed to keep Eduardo's memory alive. His cousin lamented the violence plaguing the community and the profound pain it leaves behind.
The case against Bryan Alexis Ayala is moving through the court system. As of October 2026, he remained in custody awaiting trial for the murders of Eduardo Hernandez Uribe and Jose Antonio Uribe. The Spartanburg Police Department has asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 864-596-2065 or 864-596-2035.
