HOUSTON – Family members of 12-year-old Carlos Fernandez are pouring out their emotions as they continue their quest to get justice.
“He always protected, whether it was his cousins, whether it was his sisters, his mom. He always put everybody else in front of him. And for this tragic event to happen, it’s just, it’s ridiculous, you know,” Gonzales said.
On Friday, we learned more about the man accused of killing him as the urgent search continues.
27-year-old Terry Brian Rivera is charged with capital murder. He is considered armed and dangerous.
Carlos’s uncle, Delfino Gonzales says if you know where Rivera may be, please come forward so their family can have some closure.
“If you’re harboring this guy, or if you’re helping him out in any type of way, you’re just as guilty as him. Because you’re protecting someone who’s careless and just destroyed lives. Not just one life, not two lives, but several lives,” he said.
The family of Carlos Fernandez is still trying to wrap their minds around Monday’s tragedy.
“You know, what we lost is something that’s never going to be replaced,” Carlos’s uncle Delfino Gonzales said.
Carolos was gunned down by his mother’s ex-boyfriend Terry Brian Rivera who is still on the run.
“Just capturing this guy is just some type of closure for us,” Delfino Gonzales, Carlos’s uncle said.
During the news conference, investigators initially believed that Carlos was shot while sleeping in his bed but later learned that he was sleeping in the living room when the gunfire rang out.
“When he heard the commotion, he could have just hidden. He could have ran to his mom or done something else. He ran to the danger. He ran to go check on his sisters, 6 and 7 years old, to protect them and in some ways, he did, because that bullet could have easily injured one of them,” the Sheriff said.
Loved ones said Carlos’ mother and another man inside the home, also dodged the gunfire. The gunman then fled in a pickup truck.
HCSO later identified the suspected shooter as the mom’s ex-boyfriend, 27-year-old Terry Bryan Rivera.
“Rivera was in a previous dating relationship with the victim’s mother and had two children with her,” Sheriff Gonzalez revealed Wednesday night.
He has since been charged with capital murder.
A manhunt is underway as he is considered to be armed and dangerous.
Neighbors who heard the chaos said they have been concerned about the family’s safety in the past. Three days before Carlos’ death, neighbors saw deputies outside the family’s apartment.
Just two days before Carlos was murdered, Rivera allegedly assaulted Carlos’s mother, Ashley Rostro. The sheriff says Rivera brandished a gun, but when deputies arrived at the scene, he was already gone. The District Attorney’s Office says they have no reports about a gun being involved in the attack, and the DA declined to file charges. However, the sheriff says they notified the DA of the weapon.
“For the information we have is that the gun being present was mentioned in our communication to the district, whoever received a call at the district attorney’s office. That’s our information that we have, right, that it was mentioned,” the sheriff said.
As the family grieves, a memorial surrounded by teddy bears, balloons, and candles continues to grow outside the family’s apartment. The family says they appreciate the prayers and well wishes.
“It will never take away the pain, but it helps us cope with a little bit about what’s going on,” Gonzales said.
Crimestoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information.
On Monday, a visitation will be held on Sunday at the Vazquez Funeral home on Uvalde Road. His mother shared details with KPRC2 News.
Visitation:
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 immediate family.
3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. will be open to the public.
The funeral will be Monday after the service at the San Jacinto Cemetery on the East Freeway.
Service: Monday (3/11/24) 10am - 12pm
Crime Stoppers is offering an reward of up to $5,000 for information on Rivera’s whereabouts. Anyone with information is asked to call 713-222-8477.
Watch the full news conference: