Baytown Murder Charge Filed Against 64-Year-Old in South Pruett Street Shooting

BAYTOWN, Texas – The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has accepted a murder charge against 64-year-old Joel Garza Garza of Baytown in a deadly shooting on South Pruett Street, the Baytown Police Department said Tuesday. Police identified the victim as 45-year-old Rocky Modica of Baytown.

The department posted the update at 4:36 p.m. Tuesday. Police list Garza as arrested.

Officers began investigating the homicide Monday, October 26, in the 1500 block of South Pruett Street, near West Nazro and West Main Street.

What police say happened

Preliminary information indicates the two men knew each other and got into an argument. Police said one of them pulled out a firearm during the altercation and shot the other.

The department has not said what the argument was about. It also has not said how many times Modica was shot or whether police recovered the weapon. The case number is 2026-54993.

Police noted that everyone arrested has constitutional rights and is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. A murder charge is an accusation, and Garza has not been convicted.

Anyone with information about the case can contact the Baytown Police Department and reference the case number. The source release did not list a tip line.

Baytown sits in Harris County, where prosecutors decide whether to accept charges that police file.