San Marcos — The only one of four suspects to escape uninjured after bursting into a San Marcos home — allegedly to steal drugs — has been indicted by the Hays County Grand Jury.
Frank Castro, 17, of Luling was indicted for aggravated robbery.
He and three 16-year-olds also from Luling burst into the home at 926 Chestnut early on Sept. 4 to, he later told police, rob a dealer who went by the name of “Harry Potter.”
The group entered the home around 1:52 a.m. and argued with a resident in the living room. The ruckus drew the attention of another resident, who armed himself with a handgun and started shooting.
Two of the teens died, one at the scene and another at Central Texas Medical Center. A third, wounded, was taken to Austin’s University Medical Center at Brackenridge.
Police have not said how many shots were fired but noted that Castro and one other member of the group were armed with pellet guns while a third had a Ruger pistol.
All those weapons were seized at the scene, along with the Glock handgun wielded by the resident.
Castro fled the scene but came back while police were still there. In a subsequent statement, he told investigators that “Harry Potter” was known to have sold high-grade, hydroponically-grown marijuana from the residence.
Police said a small amount of marijuana was found in a bathroom at the home but there was no evidence of a growing operation there.
Police Chief Howard Williams said his narcotics officers had no information on drug activity at the house; but that charges against the residents could be filed if an “affirmative link” could be established between one of the residents and the stash.
Castro, who will turn 18 on Tuesday, remains in Hays County Jail under a bond of $50,000.
Initially, police were treating the case as a “home invasion,” but Williams later characterized it, along with two other incidents in close proximity, as drug deals gone bad.
On Oct. 20, 19-year-old Justin Pickaree and 23-year-old Michael Wilson were arrested for aggravated assault and evading arrest after they burst into a residence at University Heights Apartments. One of the suspects then shot and wounded a resident.
The next night, 21-year-old Denis Andrew Nefedov was shot three times by a resident after entering a home in the 700 block of Oscar Smith Lane. He was gone when officers arrived but turned up at CTMC for treatment.
Nefedov had carried a BB gun, while Pickaree and Wilson were both armed with real weapons.
Small amounts of drugs were found in both those cases, Williams said.
Williams still says there’s a “good chance” charges will be brought against some of the residents. “We haven’t yet,” he said this week. “We want to get everything wrapped up.”
Local News
November 28, 2009
Frank Castro indicted
Teen to stand trial in Sept. 4 drug deal gone bad in which two were killed
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