Cousin Arrested in Deadly Shooting in Tomball Yard Dispute
On Sunday, July 27, 2025, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Harris County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies responded to a shooting at a residence in the 22400 block of Pinewood Place in Tomball. Upon arrival, deputies located 56-year-old Alfaro Auner, who was pronounced deceased at the scene with gunshot wounds.
Homicide investigators determined Auner was in the yard when two suspects approached and opened fire. The suspects fled the area before deputies arrived. Investigators initially described the suspects as two Hispanic males and believed the incident was not random but related to a previous history between the individuals involved.
Later that evening, homicide detectives identified 51-year-old Baldomero Ortiz, Auner’s cousin, as the shooter. Investigators say the fatal encounter stemmed from a prior fight between the two men. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Apprehension Unit located Ortiz and took him into custody. He reportedly confessed to the shooting and admitted to accidentally shooting himself in the leg during the altercation.
Ortiz is currently being treated for the gunshot wound at a local hospital. Once released, he will be transferred to the Harris County Jail and formally charged with murder.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at 713-274-9100 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
