BAYTOWN, Texas – Charges have been dropped against one of four suspects accused in the murders of two Baytown teens. The Chambers County District Attorney has confirmed that Richard Gonzales has been no billed by the grand jury.
Jose Juan Chavez and Valentin Jose Lazo have been indicted for capital murder in the deaths of Alex Chavez and Jarvis Morgan. Police are still trying to find Brandon Flores.
Alex Chavez, 18, and Morgan, 17, were last seen Feb. 18 near the Marina Club Apartments and the Fred Hartman Bridge. Days later, police found the car they were driving parked near a dumpster at the apartment complex. Their bodies were later recovered nearly two weeks later in Double Bayou, south of Eagle Ferry at FM 563 iin the Anuhuac area.
Investigators believe they were kidnapped in Baytown and taken to Chambers County where they were killed. Flores was the first charged with capital murder in the case. Several agencies are looking for Flores, including the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force.
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Quanell X, along with Texas Equusearch founder Tim Miller and the victims' families, criticized the way the investigation was handled. They feel authorities did not take their suspicions about Flores seriously, which gave the man the opportunity to get away. Miller and Quanell X said they conducted their own search, investigating every lead while Flores, who is described as a "homeboy" of the victims, continued to mislead the families.
In Harris County, Flores was charged as an adult and convicted in a 2012 home burglary in Baytown. Nobody was hurt in that crime. Flores received deferred adjudication, but the deal included a guilty plea. Police believe Flores could be in Mexico.
Valentin Jose Lazo Jr. has prior convictions for driving while intoxicated, driving without a license, theft, drug dealing and failure to identify himself, according to court records.
Chambers County District Attorney Cheryl Swope Lieck released a statement on Wednesday, June 3, that read, "It is this office's policy not to comment on specific details regarding open cases. This includes cases that are still under investigation and cases that are working their way through the court system. (A notable exception is in missing-person cases where finding the victim is paramount). To discuss these matters at this juncture would be irresponsible and could jeopardize the case. I do not relish the thought of tainting the jury pool. It is tempting to sit down and discuss certain aspects of the case or clarify misconceptions or misinformation, but I simply cannot risk it. To do so would be an injustice to the victims and their families, especially their mothers, who are already living out every parent's worst nightmare. I would also like to point out that Grand Jury meetings are unlike trials in that they are not open to the public. I look forward to discussing the matter once a jury has handed down a verdict. Thank you."