Official information about the couple found dead in their London Estates home early Monday morning is brief. According to the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office, Arturo Mario and Miriam Lopez were found dead in their home on Balchuck lane around 1:30 a.m. yesterday. A home invasion is suspected, there is no word of an arrest.
The Sheriff’s Office, which is in charge of the investigation, is not saying much about the case, and the lack of information is causing anxiety in the small neighborhood where the Lopez couple lived.
Knowing that the Lopez couple may have been the victims of a deadly home invasion is cause enough for fear, but more disturbing for some homeowners is not knowing what is going on with this case.
One Balchuck Lane homeowner, who did not want to appear on camera, knew something terrible had happened down the street early Monday.
"It’s very scary to wake up and see all the crime scene tape, and not knowing what’s going on," she said.
That feeling of insecurity only got worse as the morning continued.
"The school bus comes around 7:15," she said. "We didn’t know anything. You know i had to get up and go to work and leave my kids, and were they safe? I didn’t even know."
The first information authorities released to the public came from the Sheriff’s Office at 9:30 a.m., eight hours after they got the call to Balchuck Lane.
"We’re here this morning to give you some information, as little information as we have at this moment because of the preliminary investigation that’s going on," Chief John Galvan said.
The Sheriff’s Office confirmed the victims identities, and said they suspected a home invasion.
"We will not be answering any questions at this time," Captain Monica Rios said during the briefing.
As of today, the Sheriff’s Office still is not answering questions, including how Arturo Mario and Miriam Lopez were killed, and whether suspects are on the loose.
"Were there any armed men anywhere? Anybody that was armed in our neighborhood? Or if they fled on foot, or if they were hiding in our neighborhood? We needed information to know what we were dealing with," the concerned homeowner said.
It is crucial information for her and others, who are today securing fences around their houses, asking county leaders for streetlights, and re-assessing security.
"I feel like public safety is definitely more important in this case, because there were active shooters and we didn’t know what happened," the woman said.
The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on camera about their process for releasing information during a homicide investigation. They did say they ensure all information is completely accurate before making it public.
