3 teens charged with murder of 16-year-old near H-E-B in Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Texas (KTRK) -- Two 17-year-olds and a 15-year-old face capital murder charges in connection with the shooting death of another teenager in the parking lot of an H-E-B store in Cleveland.

According to police, the suspects identified in the July 17 killing are Javier Lopez, 17; Eliud "Sleepy" Barberena-Mota, 17; and a 15-year-old whose identity is not being released. They are accused of shooting and killing 16-year-old Guillermo Reyes Jr.

Lopez was taken into custody last Saturday in the Houston area. The 15-year-old was detained Monday morning by Liberty County deputies. Barberena-Mota, who police believe was the "trigger man," was arrested Monday night.

Lopez and Barberena-Mota have bonds set at $2 million each.

Police believe robbery was the motive in the victim's killing.

The shooting happened in broad daylight at Truly Plaza on Highway 105 and Washington. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

SEE ALSO:

• Teen shot to death near Cleveland H-E-B store
• White van tied to teen's deadly shooting found by police

Shortly after the shooting, police identified a pickup truck and a van as vehicles of interest in the case. The pickup was found burned south of Cleveland.

A van matching the description of a vehicle at the scene of the shooting was recovered a day after on Houston's south side.

Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Broussard said the victim was shot while sitting inside a parked red truck near the H-E-B gas station and Hartz Chicken drive-thru, then staggered to the fast food restaurant for help.

"He pretty much tapped the side of the car and slumped over and hit the ground," Broussard said.

A Hartz employee told us good Samaritans rushed to action, doing everything they could to keep him alive, making sure he was not alone.

"They were checking his pulse, they were saying it was too low," Angel Martinez said.

Police say the red truck and a white van were acting suspiciously hours before the shooting.

The chief says they were both parked in the H-E-B parking lot, where they sat for some time without anyone getting out of the cars. Then, they left and later returned.

That's when Broussard says a man from the van got into the red truck, and within seconds shots were fired.

The white van and red truck sped off, leaving the victim behind.

The video above is from a previous story.