Ye Myint Aung, a 39-year-old man who had fled civil war in his home country to start anew in Houston, has died as a result of a violent attack. Seventeen-year-old Lansselo Martinez has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal incident behind a Synco Gas Station. On the evening of May 23, Martinez is accused of striking Aung at least 20 times, causing blunt force trauma to his head, as per a statement obtained by FOX 26 Houston.
Details surrounding the incident note Martinez's arrest by Harris County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday night. According to ABC13 Houston, the attack began when Martinez and another individual reportedly mistook a falling beer bottle for an act of aggression, leading them to attack other customers before Aung was severely assaulted.
This brutal event took a turn when Lakisha Wilks stumbled upon the scene and, despite bystanders' advice against it, called 911. Recounting the events to ABC13 Houston, Wilks said, "I said, 'Something is definitely wrong,'" when she discovered Aung's motionless body. Aung, who had been without medical assistance for over 12 hours, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Despite the comings and goings of customers throughout that fateful May 23 day, and with the establishment remaining in continuous operation, law enforcement was not alerted until Wilks's intervention. "He could have been saved, I truly believed," told Wilks to ABC13 Houston. Martinez is currently held at Harris County Jail while the investigation continues, with HCSO not disclosing if other charges are forthcoming.
Aung's family has been dealing with the loss, as expressed by his brother Thang Hmung who shared with ABC13 Houston, "That time is very difficult to wait." Surveillance footage reviewed by homicide detectives played a pivotal role in honing in on Martinez as the suspect. Further details regarding Martinez's court appearances and bond information remain unknown at this time.
