Northwest Houston man shot family members at point-blank range before false home invasion call, prosecutors say

HOUSTON — Bryan J. Fernandez Hernandez killed his mother, sister and husband — by shooting them all at point-blank range — prosecutors say, before making a fake call from his northwest Houston apartment to report he was This was a “home invasion”.

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Hernandez, 27, appeared in court Monday, where prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office hoped to prove he knew exactly what he was doing when he killed his loved ones.

“Basically what happened is we have three separate victims in this case, each of whom was shot in the head at close range, which indicates that we believe he it was not an intruder; it was a family member who was killed in pretty close quarters,” Philip White, chief of the prosecutor’s office homicide division, told KPRC 2 photojournalist Jeovany Luna. “So we’re emphasizing the fact that it’s an intruder call, when in fact we don’t think it’s an intruder call. We believe they lived there and this defendant killed them and then claimed they were trespassers.

White also pointed out that police were called to the apartment four days before the deadly shooting, where Fernandez may have attempted to “evict” the three relatives. However, it is unclear whether the lease was in his name.

“The statement we have in the body camera just says he was trying to get them out of the apartment – he didn’t want them there anymore,” he explained. “I don’t know how long they’ve been there, how long they’ve been staying with him, or if this was their residence to begin with. Regardless, it speaks to the fact that they lived with him at that time for at least those four days, if not many, many more.

Fernandez’s lawyer, Julio Vela, was also present but could not discuss much about the case, but noted that his client was still presumed innocent until the end of the trial and wanted to make sure that he remains so until the judge makes his final decision.

At last check, the court ruled the case had sufficient probable cause to proceed to trial. Another court date is scheduled in about 30 days.