On April 4, 2023, at approximately 3:10 a.m., Houston police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex located at 7901 Leonora Street in southeast Houston. Upon arrival, officers discovered 54-year-old Monica Navarre, known in the neighborhood as "Snow," lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite prompt medical attention, Navarre was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigations revealed that Navarre had been involved in a shootout with two assailants who attempted to rob her. The suspects, identified as 23-year-olds Carlos Enrique Colón López and Josué David Ayala, approached Navarre with the intent to commit robbery. Navarre, who was armed, engaged in a gunfight with the attackers. During the exchange, she sustained fatal injuries, and the suspects fled the scene.
On April 5, 2023, members of the Houston Police Department's Gang Division Crime Reduction Unit arrested Colón López without incident. He was subsequently charged with murder in the 230th State District Court. Ayala was also charged with murder and unlawful carrying of a weapon in the 180th State District Court; however, he remained at large. Authorities released surveillance photos of Ayala, seeking public assistance in locating him.
Both suspects were known affiliates of the Young Money Taliban (YMT) gang, a group associated with violent crimes in Houston's Hispanic neighborhoods. Their involvement in Navarre's death was part of a broader pattern of criminal activities, including violent robberies and drug trafficking, contributing to heightened fear within the community.
As of April 12, 2023, Ayala was still at large, and the Houston Police Department urged anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the HPD Homicide Division or Crime Stoppers anonymously. The case underscored ongoing concerns about gun violence and gang-related activities in the area, prompting increased law enforcement efforts to address these issues.
