HOUSTON – The suspect charged with the murder of Sgt. Rios was back in court Thursday morning. Robert Soliz, 24, made his second court appearance.
A judge increased his bond to now include two new charges of aggravated assault. Both charges are unrelated to the officer’s death.
Wearing a yellow jumpsuit, Soliz heard the cases against him, which include murder and two new aggravated assaults. Prosecutors say back in January, Soliz beat up a store clerk who asked him for I.D. to buy cigarettes. Authorities said he also threatened the clerk with a gun.
In October, they said he opened fire on a man, who he knew from high school, but no one was hit.
On Monday, prosecutors said witnesses saw Soliz, who is an alleged gang member, and Sgt. Sean Rios shooting at each other on Stubner Airline and the North Freeway. Witnesses said Soliz sped away in his Mercedes, along with another man in a black pickup truck. Investigators said Rios was shot twice and died at a nearby motel.
The judge set the bond at $100,000 for each of the new charges. In total, Soliz’s bond now sits at $700,000.