Universal City police say an 18-year-old already on a court-ordered ankle monitor is now at the center of a violent online-lure robbery case that left one man shot and another beaten at an apartment complex off Villa Drive. The suspect, identified as Joseph Anthony Aguilar Campos, is accused of targeting victims who thought they were meeting a woman they had been chatting with online. One wounded victim managed to stumble into a nearby coffee shop for help and was taken to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
According to investigators, the chaos started around 3 a.m. Monday, when a 15-year-old showed up at the complex and was confronted by a man who pointed what the teen described as a black Glock-style handgun with an extended magazine. The robber demanded his belongings, struck him in the head, and took a phone, a gold bracelet, a mouth grill, his shoes, and his car keys.
A few hours later, officers were called after a 19-year-old who had gone to meet the same online contact turned up at a coffee shop with multiple gunshot wounds. Surveillance video from the business supported parts of his account, according to WOAI. Police say they recovered 9mm shell casings and found blood at the apartment complex and believe the victim was shot after a man emerged from nearby bushes and opened fire.
Both victims told detectives they had been talking with a woman on social media before heading to the complex to meet her. Universal City police say they later tied the incidents to residents at the property and believe the suspects lived at the Villa Mesa Apartments, with a female accomplice still unaccounted for, as reported by KSAT. Advocacy groups have repeatedly warned about these kinds of online lures and urged parents to talk with teens before they agree to in-person meetups.
How Investigators Connected The Suspect
Detectives say one key break came from a resident at the complex who reported seeing only one man in the area who wore an ankle monitor. Investigators checked the monitoring data and say the movements tracked closely with the times of both reported robberies. They also matched Campos to witness descriptions, including what they described as a distinctive “Edgar haircut,” and say he was living with relatives at the apartments under house arrest when the attacks occurred.
Police arrested Campos in a multi-agency operation and booked him into Bexar County Jail on a combined bond of $300,000, according to WOAI.
Charges And Legal Context
Jail records show Campos is charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, and investigators told reporters additional counts could be filed as the investigation continues, as reported by KSAT. Under Texas Penal Code §29.03 and the penalty range laid out in §12.32, aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony that can carry a sentence from five years to 99 years or life in prison.
What Police Are Asking
The Universal City Police Department says the case is still active and is asking anyone who was in the Villa Drive area early Monday, or who has video or information that might help, to contact detectives. The department lists its non-emergency phone number and tip contacts on its website; details are available on the Universal City Police Department page. Investigators are also urging parents and teens to use caution when planning in-person meetings with people they have only met online.
