CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A man fatally shot on Corpus Christi's Westside had allegedly gone to his ex-girlfriend's home, threatened her and tried to force his way inside before he was killed, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KRIS 6 News.
The Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Nickolas C. Lara, 22. His cause of death was gunshot wounds.
The affidavit alleges that one of the friends inside the home called her ex-boyfriend, Julian Hinojosa-Tunches, 24, to help scare Lara away. Hinojosa-Tunches allegedly arrived in a white truck with at least two other people, ran toward the back of the house and later fired multiple shots at Lara, the affidavit states.
Hinojosa-Tunches has been charged with murder, a first-degree felony. His bond is set at $1 million.
What the affidavit alleges
A witness told detectives that Lara, her ex-boyfriend, "was messaging her and calling her constantly" earlier that evening, according to the affidavit. The witness described the relationship as "violent and abusive" and said she had ended it for that reason.
The witness told investigators she was at her home on the 300 block of Brooks Drive with friends when Lara became angry, believing she was cheating on him. She said Lara "threatened to come over to her house with the intention of assaulting her" and showed detectives threatening messages sent through Facebook Messenger, according to the document.
The witness told detectives she was outside with friends when she heard Lara's car pull up. She said "she knew it was the victim's car due to the squeaking noise it makes," the affidavit states. She said she "was immediately in fear for her safety" and went inside with her friends, locked the doors and turned off the lights.
Lara then called the witness, "demanding for her to come outside," and threatened that "he was going to 'xxxx her up.'" He then allegedly "started kicking in the back door and also tried entering the residence from one of the windows," according to the affidavit.
One of the friends "offered to call one of her ex-boyfriends to help them scare" Lara away. That friend called Hinojosa-Tunches and told him about the situation, according to the document.
Video evidence described in the affidavit showed a white truck arriving at the home with "at least 3 subjects: the offender exiting from the front passenger seat, an unknown driver and another subject exiting the back driver side."
One witness told investigators she heard a gunshot, went outside and saw Hinojosa-Tunches "holding a gun in his hand," according to the affidavit.
A second witness told detectives she realized Lara was actually in front of the house at his own car, parked on the street. That witness said she saw Hinojosa-Tunches return to the front, fire at Lara while he was in his vehicle, step closer and fire again, then walk toward his truck and fire a third time.
Video obtained by officers appeared to show Hinojosa-Tunches firing at least one shot toward Lara's vehicle, the affidavit states. The footage also appeared to show Lara's maroon Chrysler crash into the back of the white truck, according to the affidavit. A second, unidentified male who allegedly arrived in the white truck was also "seen also shooting towards the victim's vehicle (indicated by muzzle flash)," the affidavit states.
Officers found Lara in the Chrysler with gunshot wounds, according to the affidavit. He was taken to Shoreline Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
After being told Lara had died, one witness "sobbed uncontrollably and said that she regretted not going outside in the first place," the affidavit states. She told investigators that "despite what the victim was threatening to do, she did not believe that the victim deserved to be shot," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states a second male who allegedly arrived in the white truck with Hinojosa-Tunches was seen firing at Lara's vehicle. That person has not been identified, according to the affidavit.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 361-886-2840 or Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477).
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