Houston family relieved by arrest of 'Most Wanted' suspect in shooting of teen
Family reacts to arrest in shooting of Houston teen
John Martin Dixon, a Houston Top 10 Most Wanted fugitive in the shooting of Houston resident Emmanuel Menchaca, has been arrested.
HOUSTON - Police have arrested John Martin Dixon, a fugitive on the Houston Top 10 Most Wanted list, accused of shooting his teen neighbor.
The victim, Emmanuel Menchaca, was burying the family's pet guinea pig at the time of the shooting.
John Martin Dixon arrested
John Martin Dixon
What we know:
Dixon, charged with two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, was apprehended by Houston police.
The incident occurred on July 17, when Dixon allegedly shot Emmanuel Menchaca and his younger brother during a burial for their pet guinea pig.
Houston man shot in front of younger brother while reportedly burying deceased pet
A man was shot in the backyard of a Houston home while reportedly burying a deceased pet guinea pig with his younger brother.
What we don't know:
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
Emmanuel Menchaca's family reacts
What they're saying:
Andrea Menchaca, the victims' mother, expressed mixed emotions following Dixon's arrest.
"I feel a tad bit sense of relief, but in all honesty, to clear up everything, I feel numb. You can’t feel joy as I mentioned earlier. None of this should’ve happened to begin with," she said.
District Attorney Sean Teare stated that Dixon could face up to 20 years in prison.
Houston crime: Suspect arrested, charged in teen's shooting
FOX 26 Houston has learned that the suspect, John Martin Dixon, who was wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the shooting of a teen, is now in custody.
"You typically try to ensure that you have the best charge and best case before you get it into the court system. We needed to ensure we had ballistics. Because eyewitness is always important and wonderful, but you need to corroborate it with physical evidence," Teare explained.
The Menchaca family is seeking justice and hopes Dixon remains in custody.
"I ask the District Attorney to see this case thoroughly to give my boys the justice they deserve. Give this person these charges that he needs to face," Andrea Menchaca urged.
The warrant for Dixon's arrest was issued on August 9, leaving the Menchaca family with lingering questions.
"We were able to make sure we had the strongest case we could have before we charged and went forward. It’s too slow, it is always too slow for our victims and survivors, but we also have to balance that with making sure that we have cases that we can file and move forward with," Teare added.
Emmanuel Menchaca, who has since moved to San Antonio to start college, expressed relief.
"Now I don’t have to worry about if he’s still out there if he’s going to come back or if he’s living next door right next to my family. Now I feel like I can trust the people that are dealing with this case," he said.
The Source: FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia spoke with the Menchaca family, District Attorney Sean Teare, and confirmed the arrest of the suspect by the Houston Police Department.