Irene Hernandez Colunga, a 35-year-old Hispanic woman, was shot and killed on August 26, 2002, in East Austin, Texas. She was found in the living room of her boyfriend’s residence around 1:00 a.m. after her estranged husband, Raymond Colunga, forcibly entered the home carrying a rifle.

Raymond Colunga was arrested the next day in Dallas after police found a loaded semiautomatic rifle in his car that was identified as the murder weapon. At trial he said he had been drinking, drove to a friend’s house to repay a debt and offer the rifle for sale, saw Irene’s car, kicked in the door, and said a struggle led to an accidental discharge. The medical examiner testified the bullet entered Irene’s hand, traveled up her forearm, exited and then reentered her body, causing fatal injuries; the lack of gunpowder stippling indicated the rifle was at least two feet away when fired.

The jury convicted Raymond Colunga of capital murder and sentenced him to life without parole. Did anyone who knew Irene or the people involved notice signs of trouble before that night?