A plea of guilt has been entered by a teenaged suspect in the case of a drive-by shooting that tragically cut a young woman's life short and wounded another. KSAT reports that Isaac Gonzales, 17, during a court session on Thursday, admitted to his involvement in the fatal shooting which occurred in west Bexar County, back in October 2022.
Charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Gonzales, per the terms of his plea agreement, faces concurrent sentences of 40 and 20 years, respectively. The incorrect house was targeted in the October 4th incident, leaving Novita Brazil, 25, deceased as a result – an unfortunate woman who was engaged with her computer, according to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar. Salazar told KSAT, "She was killed almost instantly." Another victim suffered a leg wound, who had barely settled in at the residence as an Airbnb guest the prior evening.
The evening of the drive-by shooting, almost a hundred rounds peppered the home from multiple firearms, with deputies intercepting a white four-door vehicle speeding from the crime scene. The swift law enforcement effort led to arrests near Highway 151 and Acme Road. As KSAT records, multiple teenagers have been indicted, including 15-year-old Rene Gonzales, Isaac's youthful counterpart, levied with a murder charge as well.
Particularly egregious in this case, after initially being released on bond, Isaac Gonzales mocked law enforcement by cutting off his ankle monitor and absconding to freedom. A hunt which ended with their capture was livestreamed by the duo on Instagram, according to Sheriff Salazar's interview with Fox San Antonio. Issued bonds fluctuated wildly, climbing as high as $500,000 for Isaac before being detained without bond, and Rene Gonzales, after a series of bond postings and violations, was again released with a heightened $275,000 bond.
437th District Court Judge Joel Perez confirmed the guilty plea, setting the stage for the forthcoming sentencing slated for Tuesday. Despite the youthful age of Isaac Gonzales at the time of the shooting, he will face the legal system's full might, having been certified to stand trial as an adult. The same fate awaits Rene Gonzales, with his next court appearance penciled in for Friday, as per the information from KSAT.
