Nearly two years after 24-year-old Juvenal Antero was shot and killed while defending his family during a violent home invasion, Dallas police have identified a suspect in his death.
Investigators named 26-year-old Arnold Sustaita Zapata as the suspect wanted in connection with the 2023 shooting, which took place at the family’s apartment on South St. Augustine Drive. Authorities say Zapata remains at large.
According to Antero’s wife, Elizabel Cardenas, two men came to their apartment door pretending to need help before forcing their way inside at gunpoint. In the chaos that followed, Antero was shot while protecting their 4-year-old son. Cardenas, who was pregnant at the time, said her husband never got the chance to meet their baby daughter.
“Everything was about family to him,” she said, remembering the young father who put his loved ones first. Surveillance footage released by the Dallas Police Department shortly after the shooting showed three men fleeing the scene and climbing into a red vehicle.
Investigators now believe Zapata was among those responsible. For Cardenas, the identification of a suspect brings a small sense of relief after nearly two years of waiting, as per local WFAA.
“Finally, you know, there’s a face, there’s a name,” she said. Still, she emphasized that the family’s pain continues as long as the suspect remains free. She is now raising two young children alone while seeking justice for her husband.
“How do you live with yourself knowing that you took someone’s dad away?” she said. Police have urged anyone with information about Zapata’s whereabouts to contact the Dallas Police Department immediately. Authorities believe he may still be in the area and consider him armed and dangerous.
The killing of Juvenal Antero shocked the community and drew widespread support for his grieving family. Friends and neighbors described him as a hardworking man devoted to his family and always willing to help others.
As the investigation continues, Cardenas is determined to keep her husband’s memory alive for their children. “He was our protector,” she said. “And even though he’s gone, he’s still protecting us.”
The family has launched a holiday fundraiser to help support Cardenas and her children as they continue to rebuild their lives while waiting for justice.