Brandon Michael Lopez was 19 when he died of a single gunshot wound to the right armpit/chest area on July 23, 2016, in Livingston, Texas. A Beaumont native, he was born January 17, 1997, to Arthur and Melissa Lopez and was a 2015 graduate of Westbrook High School.

Police say Lopez and 19-year-old Samuel Jacobe Gotreaux, also from Beaumont, argued in the Wild Country Subdivision. During the confrontation Lopez threw a metal object through the back glass of Gotreaux’s truck. Gotreaux then retrieved a 20-gauge shotgun from the truck, loaded one round, and fired, striking Lopez. Emergency crews transported Lopez to CHI St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Gotreaux was taken into custody by Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives and charged with murder; no bond had been set at the time of the report. Savannah Hampton, a Polk County resident, was present and gave statements to detectives.

If anyone has information about the events that night or knew Brandon, please share what you know.