A heroic stepfather saved the life of his teenage stepdaughter from her alleged stalker but ended up paying with his own.
Osvaldo Casas, a 37-year-old father-of-two, was killed in early August in Houston, Texas, with police believing the teenager’s alleged stalker to be responsible for his murder.
Two months on from the killing, Cristian Gasca Martinez, 17, was arrested and charged with murder last week by Houston police.
Prosecutors allege how the teen had been stalking Casas’ 16-year-old stepdaughter, and ultimately shooting Casas ‘in retaliation for being rejected’ by her.
Osvaldo Casas was killed in August after his teenage daughter, left, allegedly had a stalker who ‘felt rejected’ by her. He is pictured alongside his two daughters and pregnant wife, Judith
Two months on from the killing, Cristian Gasca Martinez, 17, left, was arrested and charged with murder last week by Houston police of Osvaldo Casas, 37, right
Wife, Judith Molina, performed CPR on her husband, Osvaldo Casas, but he was too badly injured
Martinez is currently being held in Harris County Jail on a $200,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court later on Monday.
Just one day before the murder, the Casas family car was vandalized after being pelted with eggs and flour.
Even neighbors became suspicious as they saw a black SUV or truck driving slowly through the neighborhood.
When Casas saw the car scoping out the family home just after midnight on August 10 he left his house to speak to the driver personally, but was shot dead by the suspect.
Surveillance video shows Casas running down the street, then stumbling in the road after being shot
Police were quickly on the scene following the August shooting but there nothing that could be done
Casas was described as being a loving father to his two daughters aged 8 and 16
The family welcomed a baby boy 13 days after Casas’ murder
Surveillance video shows Casas running down the street but then stumbling after being shot as he attempted to make it back to his home.
Casas’ injuries proved to be fatal as he collapsed on the path up to his house, dying in the arms of his pregnant wife, Judith Molina, who desperately performed CPR as she tried to save his life.
By the time paramedics arrived on the scene the doting dad had already died after being shot several times.
‘He died in her hands,’ Blanca Aguirre, the Casas’s mother told KHOU.
His wife also paid tribute to her husband on a GoFundMe page that has raised almost $30,000 to help the family.
‘Osvaldo was a man of deep love and kindness. He was loved by so many in our community and never hesitated to lend a helping hand,’ she wrote.
His wife later gave birth less than two weeks later to a baby son.