Executive Summary
- Brian Adams, 25, has been charged with capital murder for a 2017 homicide.
- The victim, Pedro Aguilar, was killed during a failed carjacking in North Houston.
- Investigators state the suspects abandoned the vehicle because they could not drive stick-shift.
- The case remained unsolved for nearly eight years prior to this arrest.
A 25-year-old man has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the 2017 shooting death of a Houston mechanic during an attempted carjacking, according to law enforcement officials.
Authorities identified the suspect as Brian Adams. He is accused of killing 48-year-old Pedro Aguilar in March 2017. Investigators report that the incident took place as Aguilar was parking his vehicle near his apartment on Richcrest Drive in North Houston.
According to the initial police report, two suspects approached Aguilar, pulled him from his vehicle, pistol-whipped him, and fatally shot him. Detectives noted that the assailants struggled to operate the victim’s vehicle because it had a manual transmission. Consequently, the suspects abandoned the car and fled the scene in a separate vehicle driven by a third accomplice.
For nearly eight years, the case remained unsolved. During the investigation, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance footage of the getaway vehicle and a composite sketch of one suspect. While law enforcement has not disclosed the specific evidence that recently linked Adams to the crime, officials confirmed he was 17 years old at the time of the offense.
Investigative Outlook
The arrest represents a significant development in a long-standing cold case, highlighting the persistence of forensic reviews and investigative follow-ups in unsolved homicides. As the proceedings move forward, prosecutors will rely on the newly secured evidence to substantiate the capital murder charge against the defendant, who is currently detained in the Harris County Jail. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
