HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas man on a date who paid $40 to park, solely to be taught inside a Houston burger joint that he was scammed, allegedly went again and fatally shot the person posing as an attendant after which returned for dinner, in accordance with court docket information.
Erick Aguirre appeared in court docket Thursday on homicide prices within the April 11 loss of life of 46-year-old Elliot Nix. His bond was set at $200,000. His legal professional, Brent Mayr, declined to remark.
Aguirre, 29, allegedly informed his date “every part was superb” and that he simply scared the person after returning to the Rodeo Goat restaurant from the car parking zone. They then began strolling to a desk however left to eat someplace else after Aguirre appeared uncomfortable, in accordance with court docket information.
Aguirre’s date contacted police two days later after police had launched images of the couple, who had been recognized by tricks to Crime Stoppers.
“She needed to do the proper factor. She needed to ensure that she got here ahead and informed the police what she knew,” Rick DeToto, the girl’s legal professional informed KPRC.
Police say Aguirre, 29, and his date had parked their automobiles close to the downtown restaurant when Nix approached them, saying it might price $20 every to park their automobiles, in accordance with a possible trigger affidavit.
Aguirre paid the $40 however was later informed by a restaurant worker that Nix didn’t work for the car parking zone and had scammed them, police stated.
An worker at a close-by smoke store later informed police he noticed Aguirre run again to his automotive, seize a pistol and go after Nix. The worker stated each males went out of his view however he heard a gunshot earlier than 8 p.m., then noticed Aguirre “nonchalantly strolling again to his automotive with the gun in his hand” earlier than placing the gun again in his automotive. Aguirre then walked again to the restaurant and go inside together with his date, in accordance with the affidavit.
Nix was taken to a hospital, the place he later died.
Aguirre, who lives close to Corpus Christi, positioned about 200 miles (320 km) southwest of Houston, was arrested earlier this week. He remained jailed Thursday.
Houston felony protection legal professional Grant Scheiner, who’s not affiliated with the case, stated that beneath state legal guidelines associated to safety of property, Aguirre’s legal professional will possible be capable to make an argument that the usage of lethal pressure was justified.
However the circumstances associated to this case, together with retrieving a weapon when there was no speedy hazard after which persevering with with one’s dinner after the alleged capturing, is not going to assist Aguirre, Scheiner stated.
In 2021, Texas lawmakers permitted laws permitting folks to hold handguns and not using a license, and the background test and coaching that had gone with it.
“The issue is that weapons are simply so extensively out there and there’s a number of misinterpretation on when you need to use lethal pressure,” Scheiner stated. “You might have a number of weapons and never very a lot data.”
Nix’s deadly capturing comes after a number of high-profile incidents across the U.S. the place nonviolent conditions — going to a mistaken handle, entering into the unsuitable automotive or going right into a neighbor’s yard to retrieve a basketball — devolved into shootings.