19-year-old Alief man's apartment burglarized a day after he was killed in unrelated shooting

Daniela Hurtado Image
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Alief burglary targeted man who died in unrelated shooting, police say
Two people are accused of taking advantage of the fact that the Alief man they allegedly burglarized had died the day before.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Warrants are out for two people who are accused of stealing from a dead man's southwest Houston apartment.

That victim was one of two people who were shot to death on Nov. 17, 2022, at a convenience store on Court Glen Drive and Bissonnet in the Alief area.

"Our suspect shot numerous times at both victims," Houston police leaders told ABC13 that night.

The victims were later identified as Ivan Rojas, 29, and Anthony Palacios, 19.

Court records reveal Palacios lived and worked at Sedona Square Apartments, less than a half mile away from where he ultimately died. It's the same place, police say, where a man, whose loved one lives in the complex, and another woman took advantage of Palacios' death and broke into his apartment to steal electronics on Nov. 18, a day after he was brutally murdered.

ORIGINAL STORY: 2 men shot and killed at close range outside SW Houston convenience store, HPD says

Ashley Palmer and Aaron Willis are charged with burglary of a habitation, according to records.

Investigators said surveillance cameras caught them both breaking into the murdered victim's apartment and were later seen walking out with a PlayStation and a flat screen television.

Court documents also reveal fingerprints left at the home helped law enforcement track them down.

According to investigators, Willis admitted on April 19 - five months after Palacios was killed - to knowing the victim had died. Police said he and Palmer both admitted to the burglary.

They were both charged the next day with the crime and now have warrants out for their arrests. Investigators confirm the two are not involved in the murder.

Bradlyn Alex McKay, 18, has been charged with capital murder in connection to the shooting deaths. He's being held on a $350,000 bond.

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