Local Man Facing Charges in Beach House Murder

A man from Schulenburg faces a murder charge for a deadly robbery at a beach house in Freeport on Jan. 28.

Richard Horn Jr., 29, was arrested on Feb. 24 in Comal County along with four other individuals for the Jan. 28 murder of 45-year-old Larry Ortiz Jr. at a beach house in the Treasure Island community near Freeport.

The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office reported that they received 911 calls on Jan. 28 reporting a shooting at a beach house in Treasure Island. Upon arrival, deputies located a deceased male, later identified as Ortiz Jr., in the upstairs of the beach house. The report said Ortiz Jr. and his family were visiting the area to celebrate a quinceanera.

“Investigators learned that the son of the deceased, Larry Ortiz III, left the resident early on the evening of Jan. 27 before returning to the residence in the early morning hours on Jan. 28 with a friend, Lucas Hernandez, and two unknown females,” the report said.

The report went on to state that all four were upstairs in a bedroom for a short time when two males and a female forced their way into the home while displaying firearms.

“The two male suspects confronted Ortiz III and Hernandez in the bedroom and demanded money while assaulting Ortiz III and Hernandez,” the report said.

Investigators believe Larry Ortiz Jr. woke up from the commotion and tried to defend his son and Hernandez. The report said Ortiz Jr. was shot during the altercation. After the shooting, the three suspects, along with the two females who came to the house with Ortiz III and Hernandez, left before deputies arrived.

Investigators later identified the two females as Alena Nicole Pena Murillo, 20, and Anzley Tay Castillo, also 20. Witnesses say they saw Murillo and Castillo leave the scene in a white car. Investigators obtained surveillance video and data from license plate readers to identify the females’ car and another car believed to be used by the three unknown suspects. Through further investigation, the Brazoria Sheriff’s Office identified two of the three suspects as Richard Horn Jr. and Guadalupe Navarro, 23. Investigators obtained warrants and arrested Murillo and Castillo on the evening of Jan. 28. Murillo was charged with tampering with evidence. Castillo was charged with failure to report a felony involving a death. At the time of Murillo’s arrest, she was with a male, 21-yearold Keertston Wilkerson. Officers later identified him as the third suspect in the murder.

Investigators executed a search warrant on Feb. 5 at a residence in the 800 block of Boenig Street in Seguin where they collected evidence believed to be connected to Ortiz Jr.’s murder. On Feb. 24, officers arrested Horn in Comal County, Navarro in Guadalupe County, Wilkerson in Fort Bend County and Castillo in Wharton County. All were charged with murder and were held on $2 million bond. Murillo turned herself in to authorities on Feb. 26. She is also charged with murder.

Horn grew up in Schulenburg. Some of the others facing charges also have connections to the local area.