On May 17, 2024, at approximately 2:18 a.m., 32-year-old Eliud Barrera Cueva Jr. was fatally shot while seated in the back of a friend's vehicle at the Alta Blue Goose Apartments on Blue Goose Road in Manor, Texas. The vehicle had just arrived at the complex when an unknown assailant fired into it, striking Cueva in the head. In a desperate attempt to seek help, his friends drove him to a nearby Waffle House on U.S. Highway 290, where they contacted emergency services.
Cueva was transported to Dell Seton Hospital in Austin and succumbed to his injuries on May 18 at 5:36 p.m.
The Austin Police Department (APD) launched an investigation into the homicide, conducting interviews and gathering evidence. Detectives discovered messages on Cueva's phone indicating a planned drug purchase, leading them to suspect that he may have been set up by the individual he was communicating with.
On July 7, 2024, APD arrested 24-year-old Matthew Noe Orozco in connection with Cueva's death. Orozco was charged with murder for his alleged involvement in the shooting at the Alta Blue Goose apartment complex. The arrest followed a thorough investigation that included forensic analysis and witness interviews, which pointed to Orozco's participation in the crime.
Cueva, known affectionately as "El Nuno," was remembered as a talented handyman and musician from Elgin, Texas. Born on September 17, 1991, in Smithville, Texas, he had a passion for music, playing multiple instruments, and aspired to make a name for himself in the music industry. He is survived by his daughter, Avery Neliah Cueva; his brother, Hector Barrera Cueva; and his parents, Nely Cueva Barrera and Eliud Cueva Luna.
The community mourned his tragic loss, and funeral services were held on May 25, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elgin, followed by burial at Elgin Latin Cemetery.
