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KIIITV News
Story Created: Dec 31, 2009 at 6:48 PM CST
Story Updated: Dec 31, 2009 at 9:14 PM CST
(December 31, 2009)
There was a home invasion robbery on the south-side that ended with the death of a suspect. Investigators said this may be a justified homicide, saying the resident was defending his family.
Many living in this quiet neighborhood were surprised to hear about this death from the home invasion robbery. It happened inside a home. Within hours of the crime, the residents moved out.
"So it's a little scary things like that happen close by," said Wanda Gonzalez, an area resident.
Around 4:30 am, police said two men with their faces covered armed with guns broke down the front door at this home.
A 24-year-old resident living here with his wife, cousin and a one-year-old daughter woke up and he exchanged gunfire with the suspects. Investigators said 26-year-old Rudy Recio was hit and later died at Spohn Memorial Hospital. The second person fled the scene.
"What we have is at this moment of the investigation is an occupant, a resident, defending his home," said Lt. Isaac Valencia of the Corpus Christi Police Department. "If you apply the Castro document, you have a right to defend your home."
"I'm very surprised, shocked," said an area resident who called herself M.L.. "This is a quiet neighborhood, There's never been any problems and I have been here for four or five years."
After police interviewed the family involved with the home invasion robbery death, they went back home and moved out. Police said the family didn't know the people trying to break into the home. They wouldn't comment about the shooting.
Investigators report most home invasion robberies are related to drug trafficking, but in this case, they found no drugs in the home or drug money inside the residence. So for now, they're calling this a justifiable homicide.