Teen Found Dead in Backyard of Yaupon Ranch Home

On Saturday, December 21, 2024, at approximately 10:30 a.m., deputies with the Harris County Precinct #5 Constable’s Office responded to a report of a body found in the backyard of a residence in the 7800 block of Galleon Field Drive, located in the Yaupon Ranch Subdivision.

The previous night, deputies had conducted an in-service check in the area after receiving a call regarding a “Discharge of Firearms,” but no suspicious activity was observed at the time.

The body of a teenage male, tentatively identified as 17-year-old Giovani Cruz, was discovered by a neighbor. Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide and Crime Scene Units determined that Cruz appeared to have died from a gunshot wound to the torso.

The investigation into the murder of Giovani Cruz is ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with information about the incident to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at 713-274-9100 or call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).