DA: Teen charged with murder in gang-related deaths

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 17-year-old was behind bars Saturday, charged as an adult with two counts of murder for his roles in the deaths of two people last year.

Noe Armando Artiga is an alleged gang member accused of killing Anayanci Roche and Jonathan Hernandez last year.

According to the Harris County District Attorney's Office, Roche was a female gang associate who wanted out of the gang.

Officials said the gang put a hit out on her, and Artiga and an unidentified codefendant directed her to a secluded location on June 1. Artiga asked for her cell phone and then the codefendant shot her three times as she sat in her car, prosecutors said.

Roche died at the scene.

Artiga and several other gang members were arrested in a federal investigation and all gave statements on Roche's death. Prosecutors said Artiga confessed his role in the murder, and then he confessed to killing Hernandez.

According to the DA's office, Artiga told investigators he drove up to Hernandez on May 5 as he was walking down the street. Numerous shots were fired and Hernandez was struck and killed, the DA's office said.

The motive, Artiga told them, was revenge. Hernandez was allegedly a member of a rival gang that had killed a member of Artiga's gang, officials said.

Artiga was in custody Saturday and was being held without bond. He is reportedly a native of El Salvador.

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Fatal shooting in SE Houston may be gang-related

A man was shot while he was driving on Cullen Boulevard near Ward last night.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police believe a deadly drive-by shooting in southeast Houston was gang-related.

Authorities believe a man in a light colored Dodge opened fire on the victim's car near the intersection of Ward and Cullen last night.

The victim was hit and his car crashed into a fence. The victim's girlfriend was in the car but was not hurt. The victim died at the scene. The shooter escaped.

One witness said the shooter had been following the victim for days.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Missouri City man sentenced for gang-related shooting

  MISSOURI CITY, TX (KTRK) -- A Missouri City man has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison after being convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Deandre Ashton Ward, 21, was sentenced to 21 years behind bars on Monday. According to Assistant Fort Bend County District Attorney Celena Vinson, rival gangs "FAB" (Forever About Bread) and "100 Clicks" were involved in an altercation at an Elkins High School football game in August of 2008.

After the game, shots were fired towards members of the FAB gang at a Missouri City McDonalds. After that shooting, Ward and other FAB members reportedly drove to a gas station on Highway 6 in Missouri City and confronted two people they believed to be members of 100 Click gang. Investigators say words were exchanged and as the victims left the gas station in their car, Ward pulled out a gun and started firing at them.

Ward and the others fled the scene in a vehicle, but were spotted an hour later by officers. They searched the vehicle and found two firearms, including one next to Ward. Forensic tests showed the gun next to Ward was the one used in the shooting.

At trial, Ward admitted being the shooter.

According to the Ft. Bend County DA's office, Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity enhances punishment for certain crimes when they are gang-related.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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