Suspect on loose after deadly stabbing in north Harris County

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Detectives say a man was stabbed to death while trying to protect his sister from a man making unwanted advances.

It happened a little before 4pm at an apartment complex in the 4800 block of Aldine Mail Route near 59.

"According to witnesses, (the suspect) made unwanted advances against a 17-year-old female who contacted her brother about it," said Sgt. Robert Spurgeon with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Division.

Harris County Sheriff's deputies say the girl's brother, 22-year-old Joel Gonzalez, then confronted 20-year-old Sean Hemanez for making those unwanted advances towards his sister. That's when eyewitnesses say the men begin to duke it out in the middle of the apartment complex.

"They were out there on the ground and I don't know where it started or how it got to that point, but it wasn't too nice," neighbor Albert Gonzalez said.

Then things took a deadly turn.

Investigators say Hemanez took out a knife and stabbed the girl's brother in the torso, killing him.

"They tried to revive him but he just didn't make it," Gonzalez said.

Hemanez took off running. Deputies blocked off roads and searched a wooded area nearby, but so far they haven't found him.

"He's on foot so he probably will still be in the area," Spurgeon said.