Three teenage boys have been apprehended in the killing of a Texas Marine veteran who was working as a rideshare driver to support his mother and sister, according to authorities.
The arrests are related to the death of 28-year-old Quoc “Jake” Nguyen on September 4, who was discovered shot along a roadside, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
A 15-year-old has been charged with capital murder, while a 14- and 13-year-old face charges with evidence tampering.
Gonzalez said all three were arrested recently and put into the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center.
Investigators suspect the teenagers shot Nguyen, seized his vehicle and belongings, and fled.
Nguyen’s brother, Matthew, told Fox Houston that his brother had been driving for Uber to help support their mother and sister. The Nguyen family moved to Houston from Vietnam a few years back.
“At the time he was driving that night, he had a rideshare from Uber,” Matthew Nguyen said. “He picked up one customer and dropped him off downtown. After that, he still had some people in the car. Uber confirmed that’s the last time they heard from him.
“I had just spoken to him on Tuesday, and he sounded like he finally figured some stuff out,” he added. “Then we get a call on Friday … and this is the case.”
In a post on X, Gonzalez called Nguyen’s death “tragic and senseless.”
“Our condolences go out to Jake’s friends and family. Outstanding work by @HCSOTexas detectives, VCAT, and all team members involved,” he wrote.