19-Year-Old Charged With Murder in Fatal I-45 Shooting in North Houston

HOUSTON – A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with a shooting along Interstate 45 in north Houston that left another 19-year-old dead.

Eddie Lopez Jr., 19, is charged with murder in the 185th Criminal District Court in the death of Rafael Martinez Jr., according to Houston Police.

The shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. Aug. 9 on I-45 near Glenborough Drive in north Houston (103 Glenborough Drive).

Officers responding to the shooting were flagged down by occupants of a vehicle that had been fired upon. Houston Fire Department paramedics transported Martinez to an area hospital with gunshot injuries.

Martinez died Aug. 10.

The case was initially investigated by the Houston Police Department’s Major Assaults Division. Homicide detectives took over after Martinez died and later identified Lopez as a suspect.

Police have not released information about what led to the shooting or what evidence investigators said connected Lopez to the case.

Lopez was arrested Sept. 15 by members of HPD’s Special Response Team and the Eastside Patrol Division’s Crime Suppression Team. He was subsequently charged with murder.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact HPD’s Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.