July 13, 2023 - Charges have been filed against a second suspect in custody in the fatal shooting of one man and the wounding of another at 5612 Newport Street about 7 p.m. on August 8, 2021.

The suspect, Jose Leonel Cabrera, 30, is charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 482nd State District Court.  He is currently in the custody of Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) authorities for an unrelated case.  A 2022 booking photo of Cabrera is attached to this news release. 

The other suspect, Giovanni Matt Ornelas (H/m, 31), is charged with murder in the 176th State District Court.  A booking photo of Ornelas is also attached to this news release.

The suspects are charged for their roles in the killing of Albert Castillo, Jr., 22, and the wounding of  Albert Castillo, Sr., 39 (at the time of the shooting).

HPD Homicide Division Detectives L. Palma and B. Stephens reported:

Officers responded to a drive-by shooting call outside a residence at the above address and found Mr. Castillo (Jr.) deceased from a gunshot wound to the upper torso and Mr. Castillo (Sr.) with a gunshot wound to the arm.  Paramedics transported Castillo, Sr. to a hospital in stable condition.

The suspect was described only as a white or light-skinned Hispanic male, thin with an athletic build, short back or brown hair, a tattoo sleeve on his left arm and a thin beard.  He was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and was last seen traveling eastbound on Newport Drive toward the North Freeway (North Interstate Highway 45).  One or two other suspects were also being sought.

In the early stages of the investigation, Ornelas was identified as one of the suspects.  On August 19, 2021, members of the HPD SWAT and Southwest Patrol Division Crime Suppression teams arrested Ornelas without incident.

Further investigation recently identified Cabrera as another suspect in the case.  Detectives learned he was in TDC custody.  On Tuesday (July 11), Cabrera was subsequently charged in case.



Jose Leonel Cabrera   (2022)



Giovanni Ornelas  (2021)



2nd Update: JFC/SOA    7-13-23
Update: JFC/JKS    8-23-21
VHS/JKS   8-9-21
Inc #106921821