The family of Preston and Evan Wessling believes the deadly shooting that shattered their rural Llano County home was not a targeted grudge, but a simple robbery that spiraled into chaos.
Preston Wessling, 38, and his 14-year-old son, Evan, were found shot in the driveway of their Tow home near Lake Buchanan just after 1 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2023. Two then-teenage suspects, Jordan Ostrander and Kyler Allen, were later arrested and charged with capital murder. Prosecutors are preparing for two separate trials, with Ostrander set to face a jury on Feb. 9, 2026. A trial date for Allen has not yet been scheduled.
Holly Hayward, 41, a Lampasas resident and relative of the victims who plans to testify, told KXAN she does not think the attack was personal and described it as "a robbery gone wrong." Hayward said she believes poverty and drugs may have influenced the suspects' actions. She also said the family is steeling themselves to recount in court what they heard the night Preston and Evan were killed, as part of the testimony jurors are expected to hear once Ostrander's trial begins.
Authorities arrested Ostrander and Allen in mid-January 2023 and booked them on capital murder charges, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Deputies and state investigators said they responded to multiple 911 calls before discovering the father and son in the driveway, both suffering from gunshot wounds. The suspects were taken into custody by Texas Rangers and other law enforcement agencies and held in county jails as the investigation moved forward.
Family Remembers Preston And Evan
Relatives have described Preston as a religious man devoted to helping others find sobriety, and remembered Evan as a caring teenager with "the biggest smile," family members told FOX 7 Austin. Friends, neighbors, and community members organized a fundraiser to help pay for funeral costs, while residents in the small Tow community say the killings have deeply shaken the area.
Law enforcement has urged anyone with information about the case to contact the Llano County Sheriff's Office, and tips can also be submitted anonymously through Hill Country Crime Stoppers.
What The Law Says
Under the Texas Penal Code, killing more than one person in the same criminal transaction, or killing in the course of certain felonies such as robbery, can be prosecuted as capital murder. That offense carries the possibility of a death sentence or life in prison.
In this case, the state is reportedly seeking life sentences rather than pursuing the death penalty. Hayward told KXAN that Ostrander rejected a plea agreement that would have allowed for parole eligibility after 30 years.
In capital murder prosecutions under Texas law, jurors first decide whether a defendant is guilty. If there is a conviction, a separate penalty phase typically follows in which punishment is determined.
Next Steps
Ostrander's trial is scheduled to begin on Feb. 9, 2026, with Allen's trial date still to be set. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Llano County Sheriff's Office at (325) 247-5767, as reported by FOX 7 Austin.
