Francisco Javier Avellaneda, age 18, was tragically killed on February 22, 2007, during a home invasion at an apartment located on Gessner Drive in Houston, Texas. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. when the residents were abruptly woken by several armed men forcing their way into the apartment. The intruders, reportedly four to five males, held the residents at gunpoint while they searched for money and jewelry. During the chaotic break-in, Avellaneda, who was visiting as a nephew of the apartment’s renter, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene.
The home invasion appeared to have a specific motive beyond robbery. During the break-in, one of the occupants of the apartment, Hector Borja, was kidnapped at gunpoint. Borja was reportedly hiding in the apartment, and it seems that the attackers were primarily seeking him out. The kidnapping occurred immediately after Avellaneda was shot, and the authorities believed that Borja's life was in imminent danger. Police have appealed to the public for any information regarding the suspects involved or Borja’s whereabouts, emphasizing the urgency of resolving this case.
Houston Police Department's Homicide Division has been working to investigate the circumstances of both the homicide and the related kidnapping, with Crime Stoppers of Houston also joining the efforts to gather leads. Community cooperation has been crucial, as both law enforcement and public safety organizations seek justice for Francisco Avellaneda and to ensure the safety of the kidnapped victim. The crime highlighted the severity of home invasion incidents in the area and the need for community vigilance and support for solving such cases.
