August 19, 2022 - Charges have been filed against two suspects arrested in the fatal shooting of a man found at 7000 Bleker Street about 11:05 a.m. on December 12, 2017.

One suspect, Josue Casco, 37, is charged with capital murder in the 185th State District Court. A second suspect, Herbert James Simon, 40, is charged with murder in the same court. Simon is also charged with aggravated kidnapping in the 248th State District Court.

A 2020 booking photo of Casco, who is in federal custody, and 2018 booking photo of Simon, who is in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on unrelated charges, are attached to this news release.

The victim is identified as Robert Cerda, 29.

HPD Homicide Division Detectives J. Caten and M. Barrow reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to a report of a body found in a ditch at the above address and found the victim, later identified as Mr. Cerda. There were apparent signs of foul play, and an autopsy by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined Cerda had been shot.

A preliminary investigation by HPD homicide investigators and Missouri City Police Department officers determined Cerda had been killed at 7300 Long Point Drive and a woman, identified as Rachel Delarosa, 34, had been held against her will at that location. Ms. Delarosa was eventually taken to 4300 block of North Creekmont Drive where she was shot and killed.

Further investigation identified Casco and Simon as the suspects in the fatal shootings of Mr. Cerda and Mrs. Delarosa. They were subsequently charged for their roles in this incident on Tuesday (Aug. 16).