CRIME

Two arrested in burglary and murder in San Angelo threatened several others not to talk

San Angelo

SAN ANGELO – A loud noise during the early morning hours of April 2 brought a mother outside her home, where investigators believe she encountered her son's killers.

Kristian Rose, 26, was found with fatal gunshot wounds about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in the 600 block of E. 39th Street. Rose's mother told police she went outside to investigate a noise when she encountered a man in black pointing a gun at her and ordering her to stop while another man exited her son's apartment behind her home.

After the men fled down an alley, she entered her son's apartment and found him lying on the floor, according to court documents. An autopsy revealed he'd been shot in the back and head. Rose was pronounced dead inside his apartment about 4 a.m.

Police would later arrest Brian Garcia, 20, and Jacob Martinez, 18, in connection to Rose's death.

Witness reveals details the night Rose killed

Surveillance video from a nearby home captured a black sedan arriving and leaving the area about the time of the killing and showed two men entering Rose's apartment. Additional surveillance video was obtained from a nearby convenience store, which showed a man later identified as Garcia purchase gloves at about 3:29 a.m. and leave in a black Kia Optima, according to court documents.

The investigation led a San Angelo police detective to speak with a woman staying at a local hotel. During that interview, Garcia arrived in a black 2013 Kia and walked into the room, at which point the woman stopped talking to the detective.

After Garcia and Martinez were arrested April 18 after attempting to break into a witness's apartment, the woman in the hotel told officers about the night Rose was killed.

Suspect allegedly prodded woman with gun, 'What do you know?'

The woman told officers she was in the Kia with Garcia, Martinez and a third man was driving the car. The driver was not charged in the case as of Monday morning.

The driver backed the car into the alley behind Rose's residence and Garcia said he "needed to do something," according to the affidavit.

Garcia and Martinez left the car, entered the apartment, and returned minutes later with firearms. When they opened the car door, Rose's dog jumped into the vehicle, the witness said. It's unclear if they took the dog.

After returning to the car, Martinez prodded the woman with a gun and asked what she knew about what had transpired. Feeling threatened, she said she knew nothing.

Martinez responded with "that is what I f****** thought," according to the affidavit. The woman later learned Rose was killed. She told officers Garcia expressed remorse several times after the shooting.

One witness feared for his life after suspects arrived, banged on front door

One man stepped up as a witness for the detectives investigating Rose's death. This man told detectives he was worried "speaking to detectives about the case would likely put his life in danger," according to the arrest affidavit.

On April 18, it did.

The witness, who was not present during the shooting, began receiving threats via Facebook messenger and was told Garcia wanted to talk to him.

Garcia said he "was hearing bad things about (the man)."

Fearing for his safety, the witness contacted the detective in the Rose case, which led to a meeting April 18 at the man's apartment. After the detective left, someone began banging on his apartment door. The man looked outside the window and saw Garcia and Martinez "with their hands along their waistbands, holding up weapons," according to the affidavit.

The man told two women at the apartment to hide while he contacted the detective. From inside the apartment the women told detectives they could hear the men threatening the witness.

One woman told police she "knew that they were going to ... kill them."

The men attempted to break through the apartment's door and window before fleeing in a Kia. Detectives responding stopped the Kia and discovered two shotguns tucked between the car's seats and center console and Martinez was found with a Smith and Wesson handgun in his waistband. The handgun was reported stolen less than 48 hours before from an apartment in the 2900 block of Sunset Drive.

Detectives also discovered masks, gloves and zip ties in the vehicle.

Another detective confirmed seeing pry marks consistent with forced entry along the windows and front entrance of the apartment.

Garcia was arrested on suspicion of murder, burglary of a habitation/intend other felony and felony manufacture delivery of controlled substance penalty group one, a first-degree felony. He remained in Tom Green County Jail awaiting a $1.1 million bond as of 1 p.m. Monday, April 22.

Martinez was arrested on suspicion of murder, burglary of a habitation/intend other felony, theft of firearm and having a prohibited weapon. He remained in Tom Green County Jail awaiting a $1,067,500 bond as of 1 p.m. Monday, April 22.

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Alana Edgin is a multimedia journalist covering Breaking News, Entertainment, Education and Real Estate for GoSanAngelo.com. If you have a news tip, either send it to Alana.Edgin@gosanangelo.com or News@gosanangelo.com. You can also call Alana at 325-659-8381.

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