HOUSTON – A father was found dead on a southwest Houston street Tuesday and his son is charged with murder after reports of an argument between the two, officials said.
Houston police were called around 12:30 a.m. to the 6700 block of Sylmar Road. Police said in a tweet that a man had beaten his father to death with a baseball bat.
According to police, Bulmaro Hernandez Pedroza, 64, and Kristian Daniel "Danny" Pedroza, 29, had gotten into an argument outside the home. At some point, “Danny” Pedroza grabbed a metal bat and hit his father in the head repeatedly, police said.
A male was beaten to death with a baseball bat by his adult son at 6700 Sylmar Rd. Officers searching for suspect. Avoid area. #HouNews CC7
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) March 20, 2018
Several neighbors and Kristian Pedroza's mother, who is also Bulmaro Hernandez Pedroza's wife, witnessed the beating, police said. While neighbors ran to call police, the woman ran to a neighbor's home for safety, according to investigators.
Kristian Pedroza ran from the home before police arrived, police said.
Bulmaro Hernandez Pedroza was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Neighbors also reported that there were frequent arguments at the Pedroza home. The family struggled to help their son deal with schizophrenia, the family said. There had been incidents in the past when Pedroza used the bat to smash windows in the family's home and car, according to family members.
Katie Baker said that he was institutionalized for some time.
“We were aware what was wrong with Danny, but we never thought anything like this would happen. It’s been hard to see the family struggle for so many years to try to take care of him,” she said.
When he was out of control, neighbors say his 64-year-old father would try to comfort him by walking with him in the street to calm him.
“He was never mean to his son. He was always trying to help him because of his problem,” neighbor Richardo Sanchez said.
That was apparently what Bulmaro Pedroza was trying to do early Tuesday morning when he was beaten to death outside his home. Neighbors said the elder Pedroza’s wife looked on helplessly.
“It didn’t look like there was much of a struggle. Just one strike down, and then he just kept beating him,” Detective John W. Roberts, with HPD Homicide, said.
Afterward, Kristian Pedroza walked away, police said.
He was arrested on Saturday and charged with murder.