PASADENA, Texas – A 19-year-old woman is dead after she was shot in the head by her alleged ex-boyfriend at a Pasadena apartment, according to the Pasadena Police Department.
Authorities are searching for 20-year-old Juan Carlos Mata, accused of killing 19-year-old Leslie Reyes.
Officers received a call for a shooting in the 3100 block of Pasadena Boulevard near Preston Avenue at around midnight.
Police say the victim’s family made the call for help. While it took them two minutes to respond, it was too late.
“Our family is in a lot of shock and a lot of pain right now,” said the victim’s sister, Lourdes Martinez. “Once they came out to the parking lot, they just saw people running.”
She says her family’s pain is indescribable. She says last night her parents found her sister shot to death— just steps away from their family apartment.
Investigators say Mata showed up at the apartment around 6 p.m. Monday looking for Reyes. He was waiting to return from her at O’Reilly Auto Parts. They were seen talking in the parking lot and then it escalated.
“They went out looking for her and they started hearing some arguing,” said Martinez.
Police say he shot Reyes in the head— fired a couple of shots in the air and took off on foot.. leaving his car behind and Reyes family devastated.
“She loved cars. That’s what she liked doing,” Martinez said. “She was a very sweet girl. When I struggled she would help me.”
Anyone with information on Mata’s whereabouts is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department at 713-477-1511.