Unsolved Files: Homicides in the Coastal Bend

February 11, 2012

%INLINE%

It has been six years since 24-year-old Kimberly Encinia was struck and killed by a hit and run driver on February 11, 2012.

Kimberly's case remains unsolved, and there are still no answers as to who took her life; but her mother is not giving up hope and neither are police.

Kimberly was discovered along McArdle Road. She was walking from home to a nearby church when, at the time, the area did not have the safety of sidewalks.

Kimberly's mother, Mary Encinia, described her daughter as, "a very loving, giving, humble, vibrant young lady." She said Kimberly was looking forward to a girl sleepover at the NET, a nearby fellowship on McArdle that was not far down the road from her home.

"They were going to celebrate Valentine's Day. She came to my home, and she changed. Five or ten minutes later, I saw the lights here where the accident happened," Mary said.

Kimberly never made it to the church. Just yards away from reaching her destination, she was found critically injured and lying in a ditch on the side of the narrow road. At the age of 24, Kimberly Encinia's life had been taken by a hit-and-run driver.

3News spoke with Sr. Officer Jesus Solis, a traffic safety investigator with Corpus Christi Police Department. Solis was among the officers on the scene that night.

"All indications are it was just an accident," Solis said. "Unfortunately, the person who was involved in it -- which we believe they know they were involved in it -- he or she decided for whatever reason not to stop."

It was because of that decision not to stop that the driver became the sole focus of a police investigation. Leaving the scene of a fatal accident can result in a felony charge.

"The witnesses saw what appeared to be a white SUV. We didn't have a license plate. While I'm there at the scene, we had officers canvas the area for a vehicle," Solis said.

Officers searched the area, but the vehicle was long gone. The only information police had to work with was that the vehicle was possibly a white or gray Nissan Xterra.

For the last six years, there have been no credible leads and no new suspects.

"If it's the driver, it's time. This family has been grieving for six years. It's time to make it right and come forward and say 'sorry'," Solis said.

Kimberly would have been 30 years old.

3News met with her mother Mary at the site of the accident back then -- a stretch of McArdle Road between Roddfield and Ennis Joslin that was a two-lane roadway with no shoulders and no sidewalks. Since the accident, Mary fought to make sure others would remain safe and sparked change to get the City of Corpus Christi to add walkways to both sides of the road.

"It seems like it just happened last night. It's something you don't understand, but you don't know how to cope with it. It makes you stronger," Mary said.

Mary hopes one day her daughter's case will be solved and her message to the driver responsible comes from the same loving heart shared by her daughter.

"I love you, and I forgive you, and hopefully you can find it in your heart to turn yourself in," Mary said.

If you have any information that can help solve this crime and help bring Kimberly's family some closure, call CCPD detectives at 361-886-2600.

November 14, 2016

%INLINE%

19-year-old Colton Cavazos was fatally shot in the chest with an assault rifle in the parking lot of an apartment complex back in November of 2016.

Police on the scene had said there were several witnesses to the crime, but to this day his case remains a mystery.

"When Colton and I were together, it was almost like no one else was around," said Colton's mother, Sally Rowsey.

"He had the biggest smile. He could light up the room. He was a good kid. He was going through his struggles like every teenager," said Chris Cavazos, Colton's father. "He found his first girlfriend he was starting to fall in love with. You could see the difference."

"It's almost like every time I realize he's not going to come back, that I shake myself to the core again," Rowsey said.

More than a year has gone by and it has not gotten any easier for Colton's family.

"I still wait for a phone call. I still wait for a text," Rowsey said. "Those are habits you just can't change."

In her phone, Rowsey showed an example of the bond shared by the mother and son.

"He would call me and talk. 'I love you. I love you more,'" Rowsey said.

It would be the last text message she would receive from Colton. Hours later, on Nov. 14, 2016, at the young age of 19, Colton was gunned down outside of the Marbella Apartments on Weber Road.

"At three in the morning I got a call at the house," Rowsey said. "It's my father, and he's saying you need to come to the hospital. Colton has been hurt. It doesn't matter how fast I drive, Colton is dead."

"He's already cold, already gone," Cavazos said. "They tell us we can't touch him. We can't hold him."

Colton's parents said several people witnessed the fatal shooting. Rowsey said her son thought he was going to get into a fist fight. She said the people who called him to go outside had sent a Snapchat telling other people to show up and that something was going to happen.

"You see my son in the video, shake his head, and say 'okay'. As he walks to where he was supposed to get into an altercation, he was shot in the chest," Rowsey said.

"It was a matter of seconds when it happened," said Brianna Garcia, Colton's girlfriend at the time. "I just heard gunshots, and it didn't stop for a long time."

3News sat down with Brianna and some Colton's friends and relatives who are still heartbroken and left with questions.

"It hurts that people out there know, and it hurts that there are mothers who know," said Samantha Garcia, Colton's sister. "The mothers of these kids out there, they know."

The case, however, has gone unsolved for over a year with no arrests.

Colton's parents said they have been in touch with the detective working the case and believe it's just a matter of time before an arrest is made.

Detective Jason Smith with the Corpus Christi Police Department said he has spoken to several people about the crime and confirmed there are two videos of the incident.

"Obviously we haven't interviewed the correct person yet. We will in time, " Smith said. "I just got a lead here about a month ago. We are following up on that, and I consider it promising at this time."

"We are going to press on, keep on as long as we are alive," Colton's father said. "Whoever is out there and thinks they got away, there's not a chance in hell."

"I'd like people to know that he was the sweetest young man with so much potential," Rowsey said. "I pray someone will come forward and do the right thing and let us have that closure."

If you can help solve this crime, call the CCPD at 361-886-2600.

August 17, 2010

%INLINE%

Henry Lozano III was shot and killed at an intersection on the southside of Corpus Christi. More than seven years later, no one has been arrested for his murder.

A cross now sits at the intersection of Rodd Field and Slough roads, the location of Lozano's murder. It happened in broad daylight.

A lot of things have changed at the intersection over the past seven years, but one thing remains the same -- the constant question: What led to the murder of Henry Lozano?

The day was Aug. 17, 2010. The owner of a local cement company was leaving home and was on his way to work when the fatal shots rang out.

Lozano was described as an avid Longhorns fan and someone who had a love for the great outdoors. The 49-year-old was also a family man. He left behind a wife of 27 years and his two daughters.

His widow spoke out during a press conference on the one-year anniversary of his death in 2011.

"Henry was killed, but what that did was kill the whole family. Not just this family, but his business family," Lucy Lozano said in 2011.

3News reached out to family members, but now seven years later, they declined to revisit the case.

"Even though the case has gone on for so long, I still think someone knows something," said Detective Edward Alvarado with the Corpus Christi Police Department. "Some leads have come in over the last couple of years, and maybe one lead a year, two leads a year. I still consider it active."

Witnesses described the suspect as a white man who they say pulled up next to Lozano's truck at the intersection and opened fired. The suspect then sped away in a white four-door Chevy Corsica.

Time went on, but there was never an arrest.

"Unfortunately, we just don't have enough evidence to charge a person or persons with this crime," said Lt. Mark Tuley with the CCPD's Robbery Homicide Division.

Tuley said the biggest challenge in solving cases like this one is always getting people to come forward and talk.

"It's very important. There are people out there who may know something about the case who may not have been comfortable talking about the case at the time of the incident. Time has gone by, and relationships change, and maybe they are ready to come forward and talk to us about it, and getting it back out in the public eye may remind them," Tuley said.

If you have any information that can help solve his murder, call the CCPD at 361-886-2600. There is also a Facebook page dedicated to solving this crime. It's listed as "Find Henry Lozano III's murderer."

January 22, 2017

%INLINE%

A late night drive along I-37 last year turned deadly for one young man. He ended up being shot, and a year later, his murder has yet to be solved.

On the night of Jan. 22, 2017, first responders arrived on the scene of an accident to find a vehicle flipped along the side of I-37 near Violet Road. The driver, 25-year-old Andre Fuqua, was badly injured, and a closer look at the vehicle revealed the crash was the result of something much more sinister.

Bullet holes riddled the side door.

Police said Fuqua had been shot several times. The young man was rushed to the hospital where he died and the case quickly turned into a murder investigation.

"I saw it on social media first. I couldn't believe it. I was speechless," said Fuqua's friend Adam Lopez. "We were all shocked."

Fuqua was an avid runner. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School and went on to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville. His passion for running led him to compete in many races, including Beach to Bay. In fact, Fuqua had just gotten back from a competitive run near Houston when he was killed.

"He came into work to see me before he took off for his last race. I wished him luck. On a group chat together, I told him congrats. I know he had a tough race. It was the last we heard from him," said Adrian Marquez, a friend and fellow coach with Fleet Feet. "We had a group of people we ran with. He was a part of a community. Everyone knew him. He was easy to get along with. A genuine nice guy."

That is why it is hard for Marquez to understand why someone would have wanted to target his friend.

To date, there has been very little information discovered regarding a motive or who is responsible for Fuqua's death.

During a press conference with media in February of 2017, Andre's father Greg Fuqua spoke out.

"There are no words that can express our pain," Greg said.

Andre's heartbroken parents stepped forward one month following his death to ask for the public's help to find his killer.

"We are pleading to the public for any information in resolving the death of our son," Greg said.

Police said Fuqua took a different route coming home this time, driving through Victoria. Detectives said he was playing a video game called Ingress. The game is said to be similar to Pokemon Go, where players are divided into two teams who compete against each other.

Police said even though there is no concrete evidence, that game is known to attract aggressive players and police have said it could have been a factor in what happened that night.

"I think that is always the tragic part, not knowing exactly how it happened, not knowing who did this," Marquez said.

More than a year after the tragic crime, Fuqua's friends continue to reach out and encourage anyone with information to step forward.

"Put yourself in our shoes, or anyone else's shoes who lost someone they loved. Do the right thing," Marquez said. "Obviously it impacted a lot of people. Even if one small thing makes a difference, it helps out a lot."

"We want justice, not just for Andre, but especially for his parents. He's an only child," Lopez said. "We want closure to this chapter in their lives."

Detectives said any tip could potentially help solve this crime. If you have any information that might help, call police at 361-886-2600.

September 11, 2011

%INLINE%

In the summer of 2011, the coastal community of Port Aransas was thrown into the spotlight when the body of a man was discovered in the surf of San Jose Island.

"I think it was shocking to us locals," a Port Aransas native said. "One thing we love about Port Aransas is that we do not have very much violence here. It was a very unusual crime."

The victim was identified as 43-year-old Christopher Tiensch. Tiensch was a telecom executive and family man from Austin who was down for a fishing trip. He made the journey alone.

Police said the cause of death was a gunshot wound.

"It's a very strange and unusual homicide case," said Detective Mike Hannon of the Port Aransas Police Department.

Hannon was assigned to go back over the case when the primary investigator retired. He said a timeline of events show Tiensch checking into the Holiday Inn just before 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. At about 8 p.m., Tiensch's wife reported to authorities that he called her and talked about all the fish he caught earlier in the day at the jetties.

It would be the last time he was heard from. The next day, Tiensch was reported missing.

"We went and looked for him at that location at the Holiday Inn because his wife called and said they hadn't heard from him, and our officers came in and found what appeared to be a crime scene," Hannon said.

Tiensch's watch, wallet, car keys and cell phone were all left behind. A search ensued, but days later a grisly discovery was made several miles away across the ship channel.

"We have our two crime scenes. There's stuff that is in the hotel that makes it strange for that body to be on an island," Hannon said.

The Texas Rangers and FBI joined the investigation and many leads were pursued.

"He got the VIP treatment, and we are still here where we are," Hannon said.

A thorough investigation also looked into Tiensch's business dealings, something that uncovered an eye-opening discovery.

"He basically invented the technology that allowed you -- when we were in the stone age of cell phones the text messages only went carrier to carrier -- he allowed them to talk to each other," Hannon said.

Tiensch was involved in a legal battle against his former company Plus SMS in New Zealand.

"There was some good information on the news about how he blew the whistle on the company on some dirty dealings. They called it the New Zealand Enron," Hannon said.

Tiensch was suing SMS holdings reportedly accusing the company of fraud and for firing him without cause. One email cited in the case reportedly read "put a bullet in Tiensch."

"Countries have different ways and sayings where we will say give the ax to someone to fire him, and maybe another country will say 'My God, they are going to take an ax and kill somebody.' We know what that means in America. In New Zealand is to fire you," Hannon said.

According to Hannon, all indications show Tiensch's murder was not a hit and not a case of revenge.

"Two of the investigators originally assigned went to Dallas and met with executives higher up in that company. He talked to him freely and there just wasn't anything that would lean for them to be involved," Hannon said.

Despite the dead ends in the case, Hannon still has faith that one day Tiensch's murder will be solved.

"Whether it's by some lead we get and makes the police department look like a great agency, or someone literally walks in and have enough guilt, and lays it out. I don't care how it happens," Hannon said.

The public can help by stepping forward with any information they might recall from that summer day almost seven years ago. Call Port Aransas police at 361-749-6241.

February 3, 2018

%INLINE%

Their charred bodies were discovered at a palm tree farm in Robstown in February and three months since the gruesome murders of Jesus Gomez and Isabel Cuellar there has yet to be an arrest.

Bill Churchwell re-examines the case from the family members who were closest to Jesus and Isabel.

"When I got home that day, I was happy as always, I was off work which was good, and I said hey, we're going to make some food, get to see my dad tell him about my day," said Bryan Gomez, Jesus Gomez' son.

The day was Saturday, Feb. 3.

"To my shocking surprise what I found, turned my whole life upside down to this day," Bryan said.

What Bryan discovered inside of his father's trailer behind his home at I-37 and Up River Road was horrific.

"Extensive amounts of blood," Bryan said.

Bryan's father 51-year-old Jesus Gomez was missing.

About 16 miles from where Jesus disappeared police were already investigating the discovery of two bodies found burned at a Palm Tree Farm in Robstown.

"They identified his body on February 6th," Bryan said.

Using dental records police confirmed the worst Jesus' death was ruled a homicide.

"I'm glad that I'm not holding onto false hope thinking he's out there alive, but I'm also hurt, every day who do I look up to, you're my dad, and show me how to be a man," Bryan said.

The investigation showed Jesus and a woman 35-year-old Isabel Cuellar were murdered at the Gomez' home and then transported to the tree farm.

There are still many unanswered questions as to why Bryan's father was targeted.

Bryan explained during a 3News interview that he did not know anyone who would have wanted to cause his father harm.

"He could have been giving a helping hand, being that it was such a busy area, often times people were sitting at the corner at the bus stop in front of my house waiting for a bus or down on their luck homeless. If my dad saw, it didn't matter, he would cook something and say there you go for them," Bryan said.

To find out more about Isabel Cuellar, Bill Churchwell set down with Francisca Cuellar -- Isabel's sister.

"She didn't deserve what she went through and how she died," Francisca said.

Francisca shared pictures of Isabel and explained how Isabel came from a tough background but remembered her as the protective one and someone with a strong will.

"We didn't have parents to guide us through life, we basically learned life ourselves," Francisca said.

Francisca declined to talk about the case itself because out of fear of her own life. Francisca explains that her sister's devasting murder forces her to make her own decision.

"I was living another life. I can't change it. It made me get out of that lifestyle," Francisca said.

Adalia Cuellar, sister of Isabel told 3 News by phone, "my sister was very outgoing, very very overprotective of anyone she knew. She was my older sister, but to me, we were raised in foster care, she was my mom."

"He was always smiling," Bryan said.

Bryan's life has also changed since the tragic events on that February day.

"A giant part of my life left that day, to this day never been the same," Bryan said. "He liked classic cars, we would get him with his walker in the car, and we would go to the classic car meet, with his old Camero."

Outside in the driveway still sits the 1986 Camero.

"Sits here collecting dust, a memory of what used to be, something so beautiful," Bryan said.

While life continues around Bryan, it seems time has stopped ticking not being able to wake up from the nightmare of what happened hoping one day the person who killed his father and Isabel will be brought to justice.

"It changes somebody. It affects their whole lifestyle, how they eat, how they care for themselves. Even the fact you feel sick every day," Bryan said. "Not only to give my family closure but to give justice to my father and Isabel, because no one deserves to be killed."

Bryan will be putting up flyers around town to help solve the crime and is hopes you can help.

If you have any information on the case to call police at 361-886-2600.

July 16, 2017

%INLINE%

On July 16, 2017, Steven Gomez was found shot to death outside of an apartment complex on Corban Drive near Ayers. To this day, his murder has gone unsolved.

"Right now we just need help trying to find his killer. My family and me personally would be grateful. Please come forward with anything to help us with that investigation," said Anthony Gomez, Steven's brother.

His brother made that plea almost 10 months ago during a vigil for Steven, and it remains unanswered.

Steven's body was found slumped over in the driver's seat of a truck outside the Corban townhomes. He had been shot multiple times.

%INLINE%

"When you have an unsolved homicide, and you are a family member, it's the first thing you think of when your feet hit the floor in the morning. It's the last thing you think of when you go to bed in the night," Donna Watkins said.

Steven's case is one that hits hard for Watkins, who created the Homicide Survivors Support Group. She knew him.

"I will never forget the last thing Steven said to me. He hugged me and said, 'I am so glad you are doing what you are doing, and if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to call,'" Watkins said.

Steven was a business owner and was described by others as a good person who was a fighter for those who could not fight for themselves -- someone with a huge heart.

While the Corpus Christi Police Department continues to investigate, police never suspected this was a random act. They believe Steven might have known the person who shot him.

"We need some help on this one. We have people who heard the gunshots, and we have one gentleman who saw someone running from the area, so we have a vague description of someone who might be the offender," Lt. Chris Hooper said during a 2017 interview.

Watkins wears a red and white ribbon in memory of those who can not speak for themselves, including Steven.

"The white is the innocent, and the red is our eternal love. When we wear these we are representing their voice," Watkins said. "Today I am representing Steven. I am Steven's voice today. Please, please help any way you can. If you know anything, even if you think it's not true, just to give us a lead. This family, they need justice. Steven deserves justice," Watkins said.

Investigators continue to search for the person responsible for Steven's death. If you have any information, call 361-886-2600.

June 2013

%INLINE%

It was June of 2013 Martin Diaz Deleon, and the Refugio County Sheriff's Office responded to a rural road just outside of the city of Woodsboro.

What the officers found was disturbing.

"We arrived we found the individual who was shot, his name was Paul Lopez," said Chief Martin Diaz Deleon, Woodsboro Police Department.

Paul Lopez Sr. a father of three children was dead, his body discovered by his 16-year-old son.

An investigation revealed Paul had been shot multiple times while cleaning the swimming pool.

The death of Paul would be the first murder in the area in eight years leaving the small community with a big mystery.

"He worked for an oil field company here in town, he was a well-liked person, don't know what this might have happened," Deleon said.

Deleon is now the Chief of Police for Woodsboro, but at the time of the murder, he was the initial case officer with the Refugio County Sheriffs.

"The kids were young, one of the kids were fixing to graduate, so it was a situation, he wouldn't be able to see his son graduate, always a tragedy," Deleon said.

"My dad now has five grandchildren, and he's never gotten, my brother's kids will never know my dad," said the daughter of Paul Lopez, Mary.

Mary spoke with Kiii-TV by phone about the case of Paul.

"We live in such a small town but to think something like that could happen; no one heard anything, one knows anything, its just crazy," Mary said.

Mary shared tons of pictures with her dad. Mary remembered Paul as someone who enjoyed a day out on the water, a Dallas Cowboy's fan who always supported his favorite team, and a loving father.

"How would anyone feel losing their father and not having any answers as to why," Mary said. "You don't know who it is, don't know who you are walking next to, sitting next to."

Questions remain unanswered for the Lopez family.

Evidence was collected following the crime, suspects were investigated, and there was even an arrest in September 2013 in Aransas County.

The man arrested was eventually cleared, and the case was dropped by the District Attorney due to a lack of evidence.

Refugio County Sheriff Pinky Gonzales re-opened the murder case when he took over as sheriff in 2017.

"The previous sheriff here is also concerned about this case, it bothered him that this case wasn't solved on his clock, to this day he talks about it, and also trying to help us with this case, it just bothers him quite a bit, it bothers me," Gonzales said

Working with Deleon Gonzales is determined to solve Paul's murder once and for all.

"I pray to God that we can solve it," Gonzales said.

"This is a personal one to me because it remains unsolved, and I want to try to get it solved, for myself but the family, I see them every day, and they see me, and I know they have those questions. They want it done, they want it solved, and I promised I would get someone arrested," Deleon said.

March 11, 2005

%INLINE%

The sheriff's office is searching for leads Tuesday on a decade-old murder case which involved a man found fatally shot at his trailer home just outside the Beeville city limits.

44-year-old Oliver Gonzales was found shot to death, and the suspect or suspects are still out on the loose.

"My brother was a loving brother. He never caused us any harm. We always had a good time when we got together. We were so close, and it was devastating when his death occurred, he was a family man," Rosemary Hartsfield said.

Lt. Adam Levine is currently unboxing years of inventive work on Gonzales' murder to find out more information.

"Our agency received a call from the Alice Police Department advising someone came in and reported her boyfriend had been killed in Beeville," Lt. Adam Levine said.

It was on March 11, 2005, when authorities arrived and found Gonzales at a trailer home in the Blueberry Hill's subdivision with a bullet wound.

The discovery of Gonzales prompted a murder investigation.

"A team effort investigators with the bee county sheriff's office texas rangers were involved DPS gang investigators," Levine said.

Information was compiled, but nothing has led to a positive I.D. on the killer.

For more than a decade the murder went cold and in February Levine picked up the case.

"This had been sitting without new information somebody had anonymously called in some names, saying this is an area you might want to look at we started exploring that," Levine said.

Levine hopes the new effort can one day bring Gonzales' family some answers and lead to an arrest.

"We need somebody with any information maybe back then who was too nervous to come forward, to say hey listen, it's been a long time, but this is what I know. that might answer some questions we have," Levine said.

If you can help solve Gonzales' case you are encouraged to call the Bee County Sheriff's Office.

August 6, 2005

%INLINE%

It was a scary crime for residents in the City of Beeville in the summer of 2005. A gunman broke into a home and held a family at gunpoint, and a 55-year-old man ended up being shot and killed

On Tuesday police still, need the public's help to solve the cold case.

"The family advised they were going to bed, heard a loud noise at the front door, observed the door being forcefully being pushed in," assistant chief Richard Cantu Jr. said.

Its a night Cantu remembers all too well.

"At the time I was a sergeant assigned to the criminal investigation division," Cantu said.

Just before midnight Saturday, August 6, 2005, Cantu responded to a home on East Anderson with a fellow detective.

"From what they informed the officers and detectives as well, made their way into the home, there were shots, called police immediately after the gentlemen left the area," Cantu said.

55-year-old Larry Lee Anzaldua was discovered in a back bedroom lying in a pool of blood.

Anzaldua had been shot in the chest by the intruders, and his injury proved to be deadly.

Authorities said the two suspects were wearing dark clothing and might have been lurking outside the home and looking in windows to find Anzaldua before busting in.

There were several hours of investigative work by the Beeville Police Department, Texas Rangers, and the Bee County Sheriff's Office into the case but it would end up going cold.

"We're hoping the citizens of Beeville or anyone if they know anything to contact us," Cantu said.

After 13 years Cantu continues to hold out hope that this case can be solved.

"Even 13 years later from being a detective sear gent to assistant chief, I still look into this incident and information. the whole purpose is to solve this case, but to bring peace to the victim's family," Cantu said.

If you have any information that can help detectives bring closure to the victim's family and solve this crime, call the Beeville Police Department at 361-358-0442 or their anonymous tip line at 361-362-0206.

If you have an unsolved case you would like us to look into and report on, call our newsroom at 361-855-6397 or email our Unsolved Files reporter Bill Churchwell at bchurchwell@kiiitv.com.

Stay connected with 3News for the latest news, sports, and weather. Download the KIII-TV 3News app now.

Have an idea for a story? Send news tips to news@kiiitv.com, and visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!