Judge Thomas Culver III, presiding judge, delivered the sentence to Terence Andrus, 24, of Houston who was found guilty in the shooting deaths of Avelino Diaz and Kim Bui in a Kroger parking lot on Highway 6 in Fort Bend County.
Just after midnight on October 15, 2008, Fort Bend County Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene of two shooting cases in the parking lot of a Kroger on Highway 6 in the Houston area.
In the first case, a couple stopped to pick up some milk at the Kroger. Norma Diaz entered the store while her husband, Avelino, waited in their vehicle outside. Avelino Diaz was approached by Andrus, who had intentions of stealing the couple's vehicle. Andrus shot Diaz in the head. He died of his wound on October 18, 2008 at Memorial Hermann Hospital - The Medical Center. Andrus walked away from that scene.
At about the same time, Steve and Kim Bui entered the south parking lot of the Kroger store. Andrus approached the vehicle and Steve Bui, who was driving, stopped to see what he wanted. Andrus reached for the door, telling the couple to get out. Steve Bui saw the gun and sped away. At that time, Andrus fired multiple times with one bullet hitting Kim Bui in the head.
Steve Bui also suffered a wound in his back, but managed to drive his wife directly to West Houston Hospital where she died from the gunshot wound.
Sheriff's Office detectives canvassed the area and eventually found a resident whose video revealed where Andrus stashed his weapon. Andrus, who was on foot, had walked to his apartment after the murders.
From that initial video, detectives began studying other videotapes from businesses in the area. They sent out a Crime Stoppers bulletin showing a suspect they believed was involved in the shootings.
A Crime Stoppers tip later in October 2008 led to the identification of Andrus as a person of interest. He fled to New Orleans, La., when the Crime Stoppers information was aired.
Fort Bend County detectives went to New Orleans, and on November 7, Andrus was initially arrested by New Orleans Police officers on a Harris County aggravated robbery warrant. On his way back to Houston, Andrus confessed to the murders committed on October 15.
