Houston, Texas (KTRK) – Records show that two teenage MS-13 gang members accused of killing a woman who was kidnapped on her way home from work refused to appear in a potential court overnight.
Jordan Montalvo, 18, and Carlos Romero Munoz, 17, charged with capital offenses in the shooting death of Sandra Montes Descamilla, are charged with a series of crimes on August 10.
Sources said Romero and Montalvo claim to be part of the brutal MS-13 gang.
On Thursday, the judge read out the charges against them but did not make a decision on bail. Instead, referral to the trial judge.
The attorneys requested a $50,000 bond per case, adding that both teens had no funds to release.
ABC13 learned in court that Munoz has been in Houston since he was 7 and has been living with his grandmother. Montalvo was formerly a car wash and lives with his parents and sister.
The teens are scheduled to appear in court again at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Montalvo and Munoz allegedly kidnapped Montes Descamilla at her apartment complex on Highway 6, and attempted to force her to take the money out of the bank. When she did not comply, the teens allegedly drove her to another compound in Rio Bonito, where they put her in the trunk of her Volkswagen and shot her to death.
According to court records, Montes, 45, was seen in surveillance video driving into the Falls of West Oak apartments around 2 a.m. Three men wearing masks and gloves were chasing her car as she turned into her unit.
About 10 minutes later, Montes’ car exited the complex.
According to court documents, one of the men, Sylvin Sandoval, later admitted to lawmakers that they had “targeted” the 45-year-old, kidnapped and assaulted her. The motive was theft.
After shooting the woman in her trunk, investigators believe Montalvo and Romero pointed the gun at Sandoval and shot him multiple times. He was taken to the hospital via Life Flight and survived his injuries.
Eight days after the murder, investigators were able to match Nakhil’s fingerprint on Montes’ car to Romero’s, according to court records.
ABC13 has learned that at least one of the young suspects is linked to another murder in June.
On June 25, Patrick Maldonado was walking on the sidewalk at block 7100 of Woodridge in southeast Houston when he was targeted. Houston police released a home surveillance video appealing to the public for advice. The video shows Maldonado chasing before he was shot dead.
Original story: A man collapses and dies in front of the house after 2 suspects get out of the car and then shoot him on the sidewalk
Maldonado was 58 years old and a widower. His daughter told ABC13 that he had three children and was in Houston for work.
Prosecutors filed a motion with the judge to keep the teens held without bail throughout the case. In the lawsuit, the attorney general said the defendants “will likely be punished with the death penalty if the law is enforced.”
It is not clear whether the state plans to seek the death penalty.
About an hour before Montes was targeted, residents reported that masked men in the same clothes had knocked on the doors.
Sandoval was not charged with the crime on August 10. He is now in prison on various charges.
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