HOUSTON — A man was shot to death by his 79-year-old neighbor, a former deputy, Sunday in southeast Houston, according to police.
Investigators said the man was shot in his chest at a home on Kirkglen Drive just before 11 a.m. Police said they got several calls about the shooting, including one from Frankie Luke Vernagallo, who police said pulled the trigger.
"One of the neighbors shot the other neighbor, and unfortunately, the neighbor that was shot is deceased," Houston Police Department Lt. Jose Rosas said.
Family members identified the man who was killed as 39-year-old Jaime Leonel Hernandez.
His brother, Alberto Hernandez, said there is a long history between their family and the neighbor, who officials said was a deputy about 20 years ago, and his brother was trying to get his dog out of Vernagallo's backyard when he was shot.
"You know, it's not the right way to react to any situation, you know, aggressive and having a gun and just shooting someone for wanting to get their dog," he said. "We're trying to keep it together for my mom. She's the one that's suffering the most."
Vernagallo was charged with murder, according to authorities.
Hernandez said Vernagallo has called the police on his family hundreds of times. He also said Vernagallo threatened his family on multiple occasions.
"I just want justice. I want them to finally do something. If this is what it had to take for them to actually do something, you know, it sucks for me and my family that my brother will no longer be here with us and that's what it took," he said.