A father has been charged with murder on Friday after allegedly shooting a drunk driver moments after he plowed into his truck killing his two young sons.
David Barajas, 31, and his sons, 12-year-old David Jr. and 11-year-old Caleb, were about 50 yards from their Houston-area home when a car crashed into them on a dark rural road.
David Jr. died at the scene, while Caleb died later at a hospital.
Neighbors said they heard gunshots minutes after the Dec. 7 crash near Alvin, about 30 miles southeast of Houston.
Jose Banda, the 20-year-old driver who hit the boys, was later found shot in the head. His death was ruled a homicide.
Investigators believe Banda had been drinking before the crash, and they're awaiting the results of blood tests on him.
At a funeral service for the two boys, family and friends spoke of the brothers' love of sports and their family.
Their uncle, Gabriel Barajas, said David and Caleb were ‘inseparable’ and ‘playful.’ Caleb's nickname was the ‘Big C’ and Gabriel Barajas said both boys were big fans of the Houston Texans. Many of those at the service wore Texans jerseys in honor of the boys.
The tragedy unfolded just after 11pm when the Barajas’ family car ran out of gas along County Road 144 about 30 miles from Houston, MyFox Houston reported..
Caleb and David were helping push their father’s stalled truck when a car driven by 21-year-old Jose Banda slammed into the vehicle from behind.
The older of the two brother was killed on the spot, while his 11-year-old brother was airlifted to a hospital, where he eventually succumbed to his injuries.
The Harris County Medical Examiner said just moments after the fatal crash, Banda died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Police said no weapon has been recovered at the scene, but shots were heard after the crash.
Janie Tellez, Banda’s aunt, came to her nephew’s defense, demanding that his killer be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
‘It was an accident. He didn't purposely do that,’ Tellez told ABC13. 'Whoever did it is getting away with murdering my nephew. He deserves justice.’
Brazoria County sheriff's investigator Dominick Sanders said Monday that witnesses told authorities they saw Barajas, right after the crash, walk to his home and then return a few minutes later and approach Banda's vehicle.
Evidence showed one shot was fired, he said.
'Every time we would pursue a lead, it always came back to Mr. Barajas,' Sanders said. 'We have numerous statements placing him there at the car in close proximity to the victim at the time the gunshot was fired.'
Members of the Barajas family have been accused since the accident.
After the accident and shooting, the Barajas told KHOU 11 News Wednesday that someone has threatened a drive-by shooting at the family’s home, forcing the grieving family to go into hiding.
According to the slain boys’ parents, someone wrote a message on Facebook accusing Cindy Barajas of shooting Banda.
‘I don’t know why people would think something like that or why people would try to accuse them of something when they already have two babies lost,’ said Sally Roman, who was friends with the two young victims.
Barajas was indicted for murder Friday and turned himself in Sunday. He was being held Monday in the Brazoria County Jail on a $450,000 bond.
Court records did not list an attorney for him.
Gabriel Barajas, David Barajas' brother, had previously said his sibling had remembered the crash as a 'blur' and called speculation that his brother or another family member might have been responsible for Banda's murder 'ugly.'
Barajas' wife, Cindy, was in the truck when it was hit, along with the couple's 8-year-old daughter and 3-month-old son.
A search of Barajas' home found ammunition that is consistent with the bullet that killed Banda, but authorities have not located the weapon used in the shooting, Sanders said. The case is 'going to be much more difficult if we don't have a weapon,' he added.
Gunshot residue tests were done on both Barajas and Banda, and authorities are still waiting for those results, Sanders said.
Investigators also are awaiting DNA test results of some 'biological material' that was found at the scene.
Sanders declined to elaborate on the material that is being tested.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277301/Texas-man-David-Barajas-charged-shooting-dead-drunk-driver-killed-sons-age-11-12.html#ixzz2KmjxiEEz
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1 · Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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13 · Wack Feelings Nosign 12Cosign Ether 1GOAT LOL ·but i understand and would have dont the same. oh an i would have plead temporary insanity.
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3 · Wack Feelings Nosign 3Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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2 · Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign 1Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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7 · Wack Feelings Nosign 7Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·Let's hope so...
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1 · Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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18 · Wack Feelings Nosign 16Cosign Ether 2GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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10 · Wack Feelings Nosign 7Cosign 1Ether 2GOAT LOL ·What the wife look like she ain't never had a friend like me...
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7 · 1Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT 8LOL ·- Spam
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5 · 2Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign Ether GOAT 6LOL ·He purposely drove drunk though.
Maybe it wasn't right to kill him, but I can't even blame whoever pulled the trigger.
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23 · Wack Feelings Nosign 23Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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1 · Wack Feelings Nosign 2Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·Dumb shit people say....
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12 · Wack Feelings Nosign 12Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- 1Spam
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-4 · 4Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign 1Ether GOAT LOL ·The father is at fault.
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2 · 3Wack Feelings 1Nosign 1Cosign Ether GOAT 4LOL ·I'm not saying the father is 100% justified for killing dude and possibly throwing his life away but given that he witnessed some drunken idiot run over his children, I understand why he did it
and I don't blame him
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5 · Wack Feelings Nosign 4Cosign 1Ether GOAT LOL ·man thats just how them mexicans be... they be hakuta matata about shit like that, while we be ready to burn the car and walk the fuck off...
6 of them be smiling while pushing a damn Ford Econoline 150 down I-10, these fools go thru cars like i go thru toilet tissue.
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10 · Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign 1Ether 1GOAT 7LOL ·Can't get gas but can buy guns. 'Merica!
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1 · Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign 1Ether GOAT 2LOL ·But this situation wpuld have been avoided if the driver didnt get into his car drunk. That was his faith to die. An eye for an eye. Eveeyone knows the consquences of driving drunk. In LA, a DUI is a 10, 000 ticket. So, lets not turn a blind eye for a fucking asshole whi knew better than to drink and drive.
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5 · Wack Feelings Nosign 5Cosign 1Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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0 · Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·He threw his kids into the path of danger, while he sat in the safety of the cabin.
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4 · Wack Feelings Nosign 4Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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1 · Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·Instead he steered while his 12 & 11 year old were attempting to push a pickup truck down a dark road, im all for killing to protect ur family, but there is some negligence here on the fathers behalf
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9 · Wack Feelings 1Nosign 9Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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0 · Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL ·- Spam
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-2 · 1Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT 2LOL ·