Teen Allegedly Killed Ex-Girlfriend’s Mom and Younger Siblings After Breakup: ‘Hurtful, Horrible Thing’

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with capital murder in connection with a deadly shooting inside a West Texas apartment that left three members of his ex-girlfriend’s family dead, according to police.

Authorities say the attack took place Tuesday, Dec. 9, at an apartment complex in Odessa, shortly after the teen and the family’s 15-year-old daughter ended their relationship. Officers were called to the 87th Street Apartments on Hunter Miller Way around 5:45 p.m., where they discovered 39-year-old Jessica Rodriguez and her two children—a 9-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl—fatally wounded by gunfire.

Police said a juvenile suspect was located roughly 40 minutes later and taken into custody. He is being held at the Ector County Youth Center and faces a charge of capital murder, according to an updated police statement released Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Investigators believe the teen initially planned to target his former girlfriend at her school but later changed his plan and went to her home instead. Authorities say he entered the apartment, shot Rodriguez and her two children, and then fled the scene on foot.

A handgun believed to have been used in the killings was later recovered. Odessa Police Chief Mike Gerke said during a Wednesday press briefing that investigators are still working to determine how the teen obtained the weapon.

In a statement shared on a GoFundMe page, the victims’ father, Roy Casey Martinez, wrote that “a young boy took the lives of my 9-year-old son, my 13-year-old daughter, and their mother, who was my ex-wife,” adding that such a tragedy is something no family ever expects to face.

Police confirmed that the suspect’s ex-girlfriend was not physically harmed in the attack, though officials emphasized the severity of her loss. “Physically she was unharmed,” Gerke said, adding that describing her as “OK” would be inaccurate given the circumstances.

Gerke called the shooting “a tragic and cowardly act of violence,” noting its deep impact on the community, especially during the holiday season. He also said the suspect had one prior interaction with police related to an unrelated family dispute, but there was no indication of previous violent behavior.

Authorities warned that anyone found to have helped provide the firearm or who had prior knowledge of the alleged plan could face criminal charges. Prosecutors will also decide whether the teen will be tried as an adult, a move that could result in his name being released publicly.