HOUSTON — A man charged with capital murder in connection with the death of his three family members made his first court appearance Monday.
The fatal shootings happened Saturday, June 22, at a Spring Branch apartment complex on Hammerly Boulevard east of the Sam Houston Tollway.
According to HPD, Bryan J. Fernandez Hernandez, 27, called 911 claiming he shot and killed three burglars.
When officers got to the scene Saturday, a police dispatcher spoke to Fernandez Hernandez on the phone and instructed him to come out.
"The [suspect] stepped out, surrendered to officers and told them there were burglars in his apartment, and that he had shot them," Houston Police Assistant Chief Wyatt Martin said on Saturday.
On Sunday, police posted an update to X, saying that further investigation revealed there had not been a burglary and that the three people shot were family members of Fernandez Hernandez.
In court Monday, prosecutors said police were called to the home four days prior because Fernandez Hernandez was trying to "evict his relatives."
That entire incident was caught on body camera video, which is how police said they were able to identify the victims and their relationship to the suspect.
Further investigation revealed the victims were Hernandez Fernandez's 65-year-old mother, 43-year-old sister and 38-year-old brother-in-law.
Court documents identified two of the three victims as Karen Herrera and Leonor Hernandez Guerrero. One victim's identity is still unknown.
Investigators said the suspect's mother lived in the apartment and the other two family members had been staying there for several days before the shooting.
"The reality is, he's still presumed innocent and the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof and Judge Kristen Guiney will take care of the matters here in this court," said Hernandez Fernandez's defense attorney in response to Monday's hearing.
"We believe that we'll find more evidence, hopefully, as the case develops. But if not, we believe right now that the show that he did shoot these three people, he did not believe they were intruders when he shot them," said Phillip White with the Harris County District's Attorney's Office.
Fernandez Hernandez is being held without bond. He will be back in court in 30 days for another hearing to determine whether or not he's eligible for bail.