Houston homicide detectives have arrested a suspect in the fatal double shooting of two elderly victims at a southwest Houston park on Friday, June 27. Charles Ernest Lopez, 24, faces capital murder charges after allegedly ambushing and executing Natanael Fuentes Reyes, 68, and Guadalupe Flores, 74, during their morning walk at Wildheather Park.
According to court documents, the victims were walking along a trail on White Heather Drive just before 6 a.m. when they were shot multiple times from behind. Investigators said the gunman then stood over them and fired additional rounds into their bodies. A woman walking nearby discovered the victims and immediately called 911.
Houston Police Department (HPD) investigator Michael Arrington described the attack as a deliberate ambush. “It appears that somebody either ambushed them or came up from behind them and fired multiple gunshots into both victims,” Arrington said. “Even stood over them and fired more gunshots into their body.”
Surveillance footage captured the suspect fleeing in a white four-door sedan, and detectives traced the vehicle using its license plate. On Monday, June 30, HPD’s Southwest Patrol Crime Suppression team spotted the car and conducted a traffic stop. Fuentes Reyes’ family is raising money to lay their loved one to rest. Their fundraiser is online here.
Lopez, the driver, allegedly confessed to the shootings, and officers recovered a firearm from his console. Ballistic tests later confirmed the weapon matched shell casings found at the crime scene. Investigators have not determined a motive, as the victims still had their phones, keys, and wallets. “At this point, it does not appear to be robbery,” Arrington said.
Further ballistic analysis linked Lopez’s gun to at least two other crimes, including a June 12 shots-fired incident in Pearland. The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the shooter had fled before deputies arrived, leaving no arrests. “Whether that was Lopez or not, we would be unable to determine,” a BCSO spokesperson told KHOU 11.
Court records reveal Lopez has a limited criminal history. In 2021, he was charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm, but the case was dismissed after he completed a gun safety course and community service. In 2022, he received deferred adjudication for criminal trespass.
The victims’ family expressed profound grief in a statement, saying, “The family is devastated by the loss of their loved ones who were completely innocent victims. Natanael and Guadalupe were unaware they were in danger while on their morning walk in their community park. No one should pass away in this manner; it is difficult to process the fear and pain they endured in their final moments of life.”
Lopez remains in custody without bond, with his next court hearing scheduled for August.
