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2 men arrested, charged in deadly Spring Branch shooting

Daniel Medrano (left) and Andres Lara (right) were arrested in connection to a fatal Spring Branch shooting. (Houston Police Department)

HOUSTON – Two men were arrested and charged with capital murder in connection to a fatal shooting that happened in Spring Branch in late March.

Andres Lara, 19 and Daniel Medrano, 20, were detained on Thursday, according to the Houston Police Department.

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The shooting happened at 7550 Long Point Road on March 28 around 6:45 p.m.

Officers were dispatched to a shooting call at a strip center parking lot. Authorities said when they arrived, they found Joel Villarreal unresponsive on the ground. He had been shot.

The victim, 43, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.

Police said in their initial investigation, they discovered that a person carried out an armed robbery at the same strip center and Villareal possibly tried to stop the suspects from getting away.

Law enforcement identified a person of interest in the case on Monday and shared a photo with the public that was taken on the day of the shooting. Police said they later learned the person of interest was Lara, and Medrano was later believed to be a suspect.


About the Author

Cynthia Miranda graduated from UT Austin and is a proud Houstonian. She is passionate about covering breaking news and community stories. Cynthia previously covered elections, the historic 2021 Texas winter storm, and other news in East Texas. In addition to writing, she also loves going to concerts, watching movies, and cooking with her family.

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