HOUSTON – The second suspect wanted in connection with the death of a Bellaire police officer was arrested Wednesday morning. Dominique Moore, 27, is charged with theft and evading arrest -- both from the chase and during his arrest Wednesday, the DA's Office said -- and tampering with evidence.
He was allegedly in the car with his twin brother, Dante, on July 12 when motorcycle Officer Marco Zarate stopped the men for questioning. Zarate was investigating a shoplifting complaint at a Target store in Meyerland Plaza.
Dante Moore allegedly led the officer on a chase that reached speeds of 80 miles per hour.
During the pursuit, Zarate hit a parked trailer on a residential street in Meyerland and died.
Zarate's funeral was held Monday.
Dante Moore surrendered to police the next day and has been charged with murder.
[WATCH VIEWER VIDEO OF BEGINNING OF THE CHASE]
That was after a former employer called Houston Crime Stoppers and identified him from a photograph taken from Zarate's body camera and broadcast on local news stations.
“The photo, the picture released to everyone, I could see it was him.” Christopher Bogutski told Channel 2 News.
Speaking by phone from St. Louis, where he now lives, Bogutski said he mentored the young men, who both already had extensive criminal records when they worked for him at a Houston grocery supply company.
“I took a vested interest in them, and I wanted to help them be better people.”
He says the brothers showed tremendous growth for about a year, but eventually reverted to old habits and were fired.
When he saw the photograph last week, he called Crime Stoppers to identify the men, then reached out on Facebook to Dominique Moore, urging him to surrender.
“I just kept going on and on; 'Hey man, do the right thing, turn yourself in, you've got to come forward, tell your side of the story, but you've got to turn yourself in. You've got kids to look out for,'" Bogutski said. “He responded that he would, and then a few hours later, it turns out he partnered with Quannel (X) and did turn himself in.”
Bogutski's tip makes him eligible to receive a reward from Crime Stoppers. But he says if that happens, he'll give the money to Zarate's family.
“I would want to give that to the three children who will wake up every day not understanding that their father is not home anymore,” Bogutski said.
He says he still cares about the brothers but believes they have to be held accountable.
“The fact I was able to help and get someone turned in safely for his own safety and no one else getting hurt, that's what it's all about.” Bogutski said.
Dante Moore had a lengthy criminal record. State records show he was released from prison in February after being convicted of fleeing from Houston police in 2013.
Harris County court records show prior to that case, Moore was convicted in 2011 for possession of cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana.
He was also convicted in 2007 of burglarizing a home and car.
Dominique Moore has a long history of arrests for crimes including indecency with a child, unlawfully carrying a weapon, DWI and numerous arrests for drug possession.