Woman pleads to father accused of fatally shooting estranged wife: 'Please surrender'
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The daughter of a Rosenberg man is making an emotional plea to her father to turn himself in after he allegedly shot and killed her mom late Saturday night.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office said Ever Navarrete, 55, is still on the run and has been charged with murder.
Family members said the victim, 48-year-old Karly Navarrete Diaz, needed a safe place to stay after filing for divorce from her husband of about 30 years.
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Karly's daughter, Kimberly, said she was trying to help her mom start a new chapter and bought her a townhome on West Village Drive in northeast Houston.
"My mom was the light of the house. She was a great woman. She helped a lot of people. She'd push you, motivate you. She always lived in the moment," Kimberly said.
However, their worst nightmare came true about a week after Karly moved in. Family members said her father somehow tracked down her mother's location and killed her.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at least 14 shots were fired at the scene.
"He waited for her to open the garage before killing her. I got the call (from my dad). He said he shot her and told me to call the ambulance. I was downtown, and I drove as fast as I could. I saw them (first responders) pick her up," Kimberly told ABC13 emotionally.
This incident is one of two fatal domestic violence shootings that happened over the weekend. On Sunday morning, HCSO said a 28-year-old man shot and killed his wife during an argument at their home on Cypressbrook Drive in northwest Houston.
Charging documents state the fight was about a possible divorce. Three other people were shot after trying to intervene. One died, and two are recovering from their injuries.
HCSO said so far this year, there have been 16 domestic violence-related murders in unincorporated Harris County.
Chau Nguyen, a trauma therapist for JEM Wellness and Counseling, explained why things might've turned wrong despite these victims trying to make an effort to leave the relationship.
"Leaving does not equate to safety. In fact, leaving is the most dangerous time. That is because the perpetrator says, 'I have lost all control, and I'm going to exact my revenge. If I can't have my spouse, my intimate partner, then nobody does,'" Nguyen said.
She added, "When there is a gun and a history of abuse and violence, you are five times more likely to die."
Investigators need help looking for Ever, who's still on the run as of Monday night, asking for the public's help in watching for his 2002 white GMC Sierra pick-up truck with the license plate PBV 3006.
Kimberly said they want justice for their mother and are now fearful for their own safety because they say Ever is mentally unstable.
"He's still out there armed. If anyone sees him out there, please call," Kimberly said. "We don't even know how he was able to find her. But he did and that means he can find us."
She has this message for her father:
"Please surrender yourself because I don't want to bury two bodies. I prefer to have one dad in jail than two parents underground," she said to the camera in Spanish.
The family said this tragedy leaves them in a tough financial situation. If you would like to help them with bills or funeral expenses, you can make a donation to their GoFundMe page. Donations can also be made via Cash App to $karlykashs.
If you have any information about Ever Navarrete's whereabouts, call the Harris County Sheriff's Office at (713) 274-9100 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS. (8477)
If you need help getting out of a domestic violence situation, call the Houston Area Women's Center 24/7 hotline at 713-528-2121 or call AVDA at 713-224-9911. You can also click here to chat with an advocate online. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and need help, call 713-528-3625.
