Teen and Juvenile Arrested Six Months After Stray Bullet Killed Laredo Father

A Family's New Year Turned Deadly

Moises Jaimes, 44, was outside celebrating the New Year with his family when a bullet struck him. He was hit in the top of the head by a stray bullet at the 4000 block of Calle Puebla. It was a moment that should have been joyful — fireworks, laughter, a new year beginning. Instead, it became the last night of his life.

Jaimes died after being treated at a San Antonio hospital, Laredo police confirmed. The Bexar County medical examiner confirmed the death to Laredo officials on January 2. For months, his family grieved without answers, and the case that gripped Laredo remained unsolved — until now.

Arrests Made, Evidence Points to a Backyard Celebration Gone Wrong

Laredo police have arrested an adult and detained a juvenile in connection with the death of the 44-year-old man killed by a stray bullet on New Year's Eve. The investigation led detectives to the 2200 block of Mina Verde Road, where witnesses reported individuals shooting firearms during a New Year's Eve celebration. The two locations — where Jaimes was struck and where the shots were fired — were in the same neighborhood, separated only by the distance a reckless bullet can travel.

Interviews, physical evidence, and video recordings allegedly showed Omar Tulio Perez Jr., 19, and a 16-year-old male juvenile discharging a handgun and rifles in the backyard of a home in that area. Firearms and spent casings, including a handgun, were recovered from the property. A Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory report later confirmed the bullet recovered from Jaimes matched the handgun found at the Mina Verde Road residence. That forensic link was the key that closed the case.

A Community Honors the Victim While Demanding Accountability

Even before the arrests, Laredo had already begun turning grief into action. A trail at Independence Park now bears the name of Moises Jaimes, following a dedication ceremony held on July 1. The city held the ceremony months after Laredo City Council unanimously approved the trail naming in February. Jaimes had walked the trail daily before his death. It is a quiet, powerful tribute to a man whose routine was stolen from him by someone else's carelessness.

The trail will carry both his name and a warning about celebratory gunfire. His daughter, Jessica Jaimes, has spoken openly about the meaning behind the memorial. "Irresponsible gun use can cost lives not just for yourself, but for others. You should be aware of your actions every time you hold a gun in your hands," she said.

A Familiar and Preventable Danger

Celebratory gunfire is a well-documented hazard, particularly around holidays like New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July. Bullets fired into the air don't simply disappear — they come down, often unpredictably, at speeds capable of causing fatal injuries. Moises Jaimes was standing outside his own home when one found him. No amount of caution on his part could have saved him.

With Perez Jr. arrested and the juvenile detained, the legal process in Laredo is now underway. The forensic evidence — matching bullet, recovered firearms, witness video — presents a strong foundation for prosecutors. The case serves as a stark reminder that celebratory gunfire is not a victimless tradition. For the Jaimes family, a trail bearing his name and arrests made in his death represent two forms of justice: the kind that preserves memory, and the kind that demands consequence.