Carlos Fernandez, 12, was shot to death in his apartment in the Houston area on March 4, 2024. His mom’s ex-boyfriend Terry Rivera, inset, is wanted for murder. Carlos’ uncle Delfino Gonzales spoke on the family’s behalf at a press conference urging anyone with information to turn Rivera into authorities. (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)
A 12-year-old boy who was allegedly shot and killed by his mother’s ex-boyfriend is being hailed as a hero for protecting his family.
Cops in Harris County, Texas, are searching for the suspect, 27-year-old Terry Bryan Rivera, after obtaining a capital murder warrant in the March 4 death of Carlos Fernandez. On Sunday, deputies arrested Rivera’s 51-year-old mother Alva Cornejo for hindering apprehension or prosecution, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
Deputies responded around 3 a.m. March 4 to a shooting an apartment at 13921 Alderson, near Woodforest and Uvalde in Cloverleaf. They found Carlos shot dead in the apartment where paramedics pronounced him dead. Rivera allegedly fled in a gray pickup truck that has since been recovered.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, Carlos’ mother Ashley Rostro told detectives she was sleeping with her boyfriend when she heard someone open the window and a voice she recognized as Rivera’s say “yeah, what’s up, what’s up” before he started shooting. Gonzalez said Carlos heard the yelling and went to investigate and was struck by the gunfire. Carlos suffered gunshot wounds in the arm and torso.
“When he heard the commotion, he could have hidden. He could have ran to mom. Instead he ran to the danger. He ran to go check on his sisters,” Gonzalez said at a press conference Friday.
Alva Cornejo (4-15-72) is the mother of wanted suspect, Terry Bryan Rivera. Alva has been arrested and booked in the Harris County Jail, charged with the felony offense of Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution.
Terry remains wanted and on the run. If you know his
1/2— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) March 10, 2024
Carlos’ uncle, Delfino Gonzales, described his nephew as “the life of the family” who was always positive.
“He was a protector all the way until the very end. He always protected – whether it was his cousins, his sisters, his mom. He always put everybody else in front of him,” said Delfino Gonzales, who along with other family members wore a T-shirt with his nephew’s picture on it that said “Justice for Carlos.”
Sheriff Gonzalez said deputies were previously called to the apartment for a disturbance involving Rivera about three days before the murder. Rivera allegedly pointed a gun at a vehicle and threatened to shoot it up and assaulted Rostro before fleeing. Detectives say Rivera “forced his way” inside the apartment and stole her handgun which was previously confiscated by police in December 2023 from Rivera and returned to her. But Gonzalez said prosecutors told deputies there was not enough evidence to support an arrest warrant.
Rostro told ABC affiliate KTRK that she begged the sheriff’s office to press charges on Rivera. She had no doubt who fired the fatal shots.
“Just the sound of the window going up, I automatically knew who it was,” she told the outlet.
Gonzalez said it’s a tragedy any time a child is murdered.
“As a father myself my heart breaks. We shouldn’t be burying our children,” he said. “That morning Carlos should have been waking up like many other mornings, getting to school, continuing to learn. It’s not only a loss to the family but also a loss to our community when we lose the promise of a young mind, a young child that could have been something great.”
Investigators urge anyone with info about this case to contact the HCSO Homicide Unit at 713-274-9100 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
