A MURDER suspect allegedly paused a date to go kill someone in the parking lot over a $40 dispute, police have said.
Erick Aguirre, 29, remains in custody after he was accused of fatally shooting Elliott Nix, 46, outside a restaurant in Houston, Texas, earlier this month.
The suspect and his date were approached by the victim when they arrived at the Rodeo Goat in the East Downtown neighborhood on April 11, Fox News reported.
Nix allegedly told Aguirre and his date that he was a valet at the restaurant and that they each had to pay him $20 for their vehicles to be parked.
When the suspect and his date got into the restaurant, a worker informed them that they had been scammed by Nix.
This reportedly angered Aguirre, who decided to confront the victim outside, court records say.
Police said a witness saw the suspect return to his car, retrieve a pistol, and start chasing Nix shortly before 8pm.
They reported hearing a gunshot ring out at that time before Aguirre returned to his car, stored his weapon, and calmly went back into the restaurant, police say.
First responders found Nix laying on the ground unresponsive with a gunshot wound later that night.
He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Aguirre and his date left the restaurant shortly thereafter when the suspect told her he felt uncomfortable at the eatery.
Police began their search for the suspect by publicly releasing photos of the couple gleaned from the restaurant’s surveillance cameras.
Aguirre’s date, who will not be charged, didn’t realize what had happened until the next day.
She quickly contacted police and has been cooperating with the investigation.
The suspect, who lives in Corpus Christi, Texas – about 200 miles from Houston – was arrested last week.
He has been charged with murder and remains in custody on a $200,000 bond.
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