A Texas man has been charged with capital murder in the deaths of three women at a condo on South Padre Island.
The fatal shootings rocked the small island community last weekend when the three women, members of the same family, were killed at a home in the resort community.
South Padre Island police officers responded to a “family disturbance” on Saturday night and found the women — who have been identified as Odalys Hernandez, 46; Zulema Hernandez-Napoles, 47; and Sandra Napoles, 65 — all deceased from gunshot wounds. According to reports, the ladies were Houston natives.
The man, Yordi Barthelemy, is being held without bond.
Authorities told KSAT, a news outlet from San Antonio, that Barthelemy is from Kerens, which is an hour’s drive southeast of Dallas and more than 500 miles north of the resort town. The motive for the murders has not been disclosed.
KSAT reported that “police said the suspect fled the scene of the shooting but later turned himself in and was arrested in the neighboring community of Port Isabel,” which is five miles away from South Padre Island.
Barthelemy is 23 years old.
South Padre Island is located off the southern coast of Texas near the Mexican border. It is known for its beaches, warm Gulf waters for fishing and boating, as well as for its shopping.
In June, Texas’ Republican governor, Greg Abbott, signed its long-sought permitless carry bill, House Bill 1927, into law. Handguns are now legal within the state under Texas “constitutional carry” laws, which means that anyone over the age of 21 can carry a gun without a license or weapons training. However, that does not include felons, people convicted of domestic assault or those under protective orders.
Additionally, schools, polling places, courts, secured areas of airports, hospitals and other sites may be exempt from the law.
Tiffany Phillips, a program attorney for the U.S. Texas Law Shield, told The Texarkana Gazette on Monday that while the law is a “constitutional guarantee” in the state, “as with all laws, there is grey area, not black and white.”
“I still advise those who wish to exercise their right to carry to obtain a license to carry or keep it if they already have it,” she said. “Don’t just rush out and get that new gun. Get trained, educated, and protect yourself. And keep in mind, the law does not go into effect until Sept. 1.”
Police have not disclosed details in the South Padre Island shooting, including whether or not Barthelemy was legally armed.
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