Suspect Arrested and Charged in Connection to Fatal Shooting at South Gessner Road

HOUSTON, July 15, 2023 – Houston police have apprehended a suspect in connection to the fatal shooting of a woman and the wounding of a man that occurred on 5712 South Gessner Road around 6:50 a.m. on Saturday, July 8.

The suspect, identified as Jermaine Torres, 17, has been charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His charges have been filed in the 230th State District Court.

Torres is believed to be involved in the death of Princess Ortega, 23.

On the morning of July 8, Houston Police Department patrol officers were dispatched to the location following a report of gunshots. Ortega was transported by a private vehicle to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A male victim, 29, was discovered at the scene with gunshot wounds and transported by Houston Fire Department paramedics to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

An initial investigation found the shooting stemmed from an argument between two groups leaving an after-hours club at the site of the incident. Following the shooting, potential suspect(s) and numerous witnesses fled the scene both on foot and in vehicles. At the time, there was no known suspect description.

However, further investigation led to the identification of Torres as a suspect in the case. On Friday, July 14, Torres was arrested by the Houston Police Department Crime Suppression Team. Investigations continue to unravel the details of the incident.