Fidencio Rene Romero

Fidencio Rene Romero, a 50-year-old Hispanic/Latino man, was known as a dedicated and hardworking employee who had been with his company for over 30 years. He lived in a residential neighborhood in northwest Harris County, Texas, with his wife.

In the pre-dawn hours of May 1, 2024, Romero was following his usual routine. Around 4:00 a.m., he left his home on Wimbledon Oaks Drive in Houston and got into his truck to head to work. As he sat in his vehicle, he was ambushed. His wife, inside the house, heard a series of gunshots. Romero was shot multiple times and died in his truck. Investigators later determined that approximately 13 shots had been fired from an AK-47-type weapon.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the scene. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the killing as a "tragic, senseless act of violence" and called Romero "just a hardworking man going to work." Homicide and CSI investigators began working the case, and their attention soon turned to one of Romero’s co-workers. Authorities came to believe that the shooting stemmed from a disagreement the two men had at their workplace.

On May 9, 2024, deputies arrested Kevin Brown, a 25-year-old co-worker of Romero's. Brown was subsequently charged with murder in connection with the shooting death. As of May 2024, the case against him was proceeding through the legal system.