Suspect Already in Jail for One Murder Charged for Another in July Westwood Fatal Shooting

Houston police have arrested 30-year-old Daniel Vargas Cartagena, charged with murder in connection to the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Richard Reyes Aguilera on July 21, 2024, at approximately 7:45 a.m. at 9450 Woodfair Drive.

HPD patrol officers responded to a deceased person call at the apartment complex, where they discovered Reyes Aguilera’s unresponsive body with an apparent gunshot wound in a storage closet attached to an apartment unit. Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Witnesses reported that Reyes Aguilera left the residence around 5 a.m., but no altercation or gunshots were heard before he was found over two hours later.

Further investigation led to the identification of Cartagena as the suspect. On December 19, 2024, Cartagena was charged with murder. Detectives also learned that Cartagena was already in jail, facing charges in the fatal shooting of a woman at 9430 Concourse Drive on September 4. He is now facing two Murder charges.