2 men are charged in February slaying

2 men are charged in February slaying

Pawn-shop tickets used to track pair, police officers say

By David Kassabian Caller-Times
March 13, 2007

More than $1,500 worth of jewelry taken and later pawned from the home of a fatally bludgeoned Corpus Christi man led to the arrest of two San Patricio County men Friday, police said.

Pablo Padilla II, 21, and Carlos Antonio Gonzales, 22, were arrested on suspicion of capital murder after authorities traced jewelry sold to four San Antonio and one local pawn shop as coming from the home of Victor Morales, police Cmdr. David Torres said. Morales' wife, Tracy Romero, found her 32-year-old husband collapsed in a pool of blood at about 5:05 p.m. Feb. 22 in the couple's house in the 700 block of Westchester Drive.

There were no signs of forced entry at the home, leading police to believe Morales knew the men and let them in voluntarily, Torres said.

"It's likely they attacked quickly when he answered the door," Torres said.

In a videotaped statement to police, Gonzales said he and his friend Padilla went to Morales' home to rob him, according to a police arrest warrant affidavit. Gonzales said in the statement that Padilla beat Morales with a black tool, the affidavit said.

Corpus Christi police, working with U.S. Marshals and Texas Rangers, traced pawn shop receipts from San Antonio and Corpus Christi as possibly involving the stolen jewelry, Torres said. Romero confirmed the jewelry belonged to her and Morales, and tracked Padilla and Gonzales using the receipts, Torres said.

San Patricio sheriff's deputies arrested Gonzales at his home in the county at about 6:15 p.m. Friday, Torres said. Padilla turned himself in to the sheriff's department about five hours later when family told him deputies tried to serve a warrant at his house.

Padilla remained in the Nueces County Jail on Monday night on a $300,000 bond for the capital murder charge and $75,000 for a theft charge, jail officials said. Gonzales remained in the jail on a $250,000 bond for the capital murder charge and a $75,000 bond for the theft charge, officials said.