An 18-year-old man has been cuffed for the cold-blooded slaying of a 61-year-old man, in what San Antonio cops are calling a case of mistaken identity. Tristan Avery Lerma is facing murder charges for gunning down Michael Molina on August 30, according to KSAT.
Lerma was nailed down as the prime suspect, thanks to social media and surveillance videos. The footage posted shows someone with a black handgun chilling in a 2017 Subaru Outback, and it was posted from an urgent care facility right at the same time that a minor accomplice was dropped off with a gunshot wound, just scant minutes after the shooting unfolded. The wounded minor's mother and a series of messages were also instrumental in identifying Lerma, as per KSAT.
He was previously granted freedom on bond for an unrelated offense, only to be rounded up again on the murder charge, as well as other infractions from incidents in the dog days of August and the chill beginnings of October. The total hit for his current bonds stands at a steep $450,000, as reported by KSAT.
The fatal incident, before erupting with Lerma's arrest, saw Molina caught in the crossfire—a bystander in his own front yard. Molina rushed outside to the sound of gunfire meant for his grandson, only to be struck down himself. The grandson was targeted due to his involvement in a previous homicide investigation. As the investigation continues, the San Antonio Police Department has vowed to thoroughly pursue the case, as KENS 5 reports.
