On January 2, 2024, at about 11:47 p.m., 48-year-old Fredericksburg resident Arthur Cortez was shot and killed during a robbery at the Kwikchek Convenience Store on South State Highway 16. Police say a man entered, went to the back to put on a white skull mask, then returned to the front, shot Cortez, and demanded money from the clerk; the clerk was not harmed. The assailant fled on foot.

Within a day police released surveillance footage and asked for tips. Authorities identified and located 21-year-old Awes Singko Rapet at a local motel; officers executed arrest and search warrants and recovered items described as used in the crime. Rapet was charged with capital murder and booked into the Gillespie County Jail. Cortez, described as a long-term Fredericksburg resident, was apparently a customer at the store and had a lengthy criminal history, though investigators said he had no known connection to the suspect at the time.

Does anyone have information about Cortez’s movements the evening of January 2 or about the suspect’s activities near South State Highway 16?