Mayra Gonzalez said her husband’s death during an arranged sale has devastated their family and should serve as a warning to others.
ROSHARON, Texas — The wife of a Texas man killed after investigators say he arranged a sale through Facebook Marketplace is urging people to use caution when meeting strangers for online transactions as authorities pursue a capital murder case against a 17-year-old suspect.
Victor Gonzalez, 34, was killed Sept. 13 after meeting someone in the Aldine area to sell property, according to investigators. Authorities said Gonzalez was robbed at gunpoint during the transaction. Anthony Castro, 17, has since been charged with capital murder in connection with Gonzalez’s death and was booked into the Harris County Jail. The charge is an allegation, and the case has not been resolved.
Mayra Gonzalez, Victor Gonzalez’s wife, told ABC13 that her husband was a father of two who had a large circle of friends and was devoted to the people close to him. “Everyone knew him. He had friends everywhere,” she said. “He was a great man.” She said his death has left the family struggling with the sudden loss of a husband and father.
Investigators said the encounter began as a planned property sale arranged through Facebook Marketplace. During the meeting, Gonzalez was allegedly robbed at gunpoint. Authorities said the people involved in the robbery then drove away, and Gonzalez followed their vehicle while contacting emergency dispatchers and reporting its direction of travel.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said Gonzalez called 911 at about 4:12 p.m. During the call, he told dispatchers he had been robbed and continued giving information as he followed the fleeing vehicle. At some point, according to authorities and court records described by local news reports, Gonzalez told the dispatcher that he had been shot and then stopped responding.
Authorities found Gonzalez in the 600 block of John Albers Road and pronounced him dead. Court documents cited by ABC13 say investigators later interviewed a person who had picked up Castro following the alleged robbery. That person told officers Castro got out of the vehicle and fired at Gonzalez’s vehicle. Investigators also cited surveillance video that they say recorded three gunshots during the confrontation.
Castro was identified by investigators and arrested several days after the shooting. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Sept. 18 that homicide detectives had charged the teenager with capital murder. Authorities have not publicly announced that anyone else has been charged in the killing in the reports reviewed for this story.
For Mayra Gonzalez, the criminal investigation is unfolding alongside the loss experienced by the couple’s two young children. She said the children were especially close to their father. “Losing the father of my kids has been the worst thing that ever happened in my life,” she said. “They loved him so, so much.”
She said she hopes what happened to her family reminds other people to be cautious when arranging transactions with strangers through online marketplaces. Her comments came as investigators continued building the case surrounding the robbery and shooting. Castro remains accused, not convicted, and the criminal case will determine the legal responsibility for Gonzalez’s death.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.