A man arrested for murder in Texas was caught on camera shooting his friend while they were hanging out. Authorities say the shocking incident happened Sunday night in rural Edinburg at a home along the 4500 block of Fe Drive.
Deputies were called to the residence at around 9:22 p.m., where they discovered 26-year-old Julio Cesar Soto Jr unresponsive and three witnesses. He had a head injury, officers confirmed to be inflicted by a gunshot and was pronounced dead.
According to investigators, the events leading up to the shooting were captured on video. The recording shows Soto and the accused, 32-year-old Freddy Mireles, sitting side by side while singing together. Mireles, wearing a black shirt, is seen holding a rifle resting on his shoulder.
At one point, he lifts the gun from his shoulder, raises it over his head, and points it toward Soto. The weapon fires, striking Soto in the head, and the video ends seconds after the shot.
Three witnesses who were present told the authorities that Mireles had an AR-style rifle. They said that immediately after the gun went off, Mireles left the scene carrying a firearm and drove away in a red vehicle.
Law enforcement quickly tracked the suspect down. Deputies located both the red car and Mireles at his residence, where he was arrested for murder.
On Monday afternoon, Mireles was arraigned on a murder charge and issued a $2.5 million bond. Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra noted that investigators are still piecing together additional details about the case and emphasised the importance of community involvement.
“We are still collecting additional information on this case. And again, we’re asking the public if they have any information, to please contact our office,” Guerra said. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with knowledge of the shooting or what led up to it to come forward by calling (956) 383-8114.
