Authorities have disclosed a murder charge but little about the evidence behind it or whether prosecutors will seek adult proceedings.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 15-year-old boy charged with murder nearly six months after his father died during a family disturbance is entering a juvenile justice process in which key evidence and the possibility of adult prosecution remain largely out of public view.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the teenager was charged Oct. 29 in the death of his father, 35-year-old Samson Hernandez. Investigators said Hernandez died after his son restrained him in a chokehold during a May 5 confrontation at a west Harris County home. Authorities have not publicly identified the teenager because he is a juvenile.
Deputies responded to the 21400 block of Sagrantino Court at about 3:45 a.m. after a report of a family disturbance. Investigators said Hernandez, who no longer lived at the home, became involved in a physical confrontation with his estranged wife’s boyfriend. The fight moved into the front yard, where the teenager intervened and restrained his father until deputies arrived.
Hernandez was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Homicide investigators examined the case before presenting their findings to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors later approved a murder charge, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities have not publicly detailed what evidence gathered during the investigation led to that charging decision.
That gap is significant because the public accounts released shortly after Hernandez’s death did not establish whether the teenager would be charged. Investigators said at the time that the circumstances would be reviewed by prosecutors. The later murder charge shows that authorities ultimately concluded there was a basis to pursue the case, but a charge is an allegation and does not establish guilt.
The teenager’s great-aunt, Kandice Stofel, has said she believes the boy was trying to protect his mother and intended to keep his father restrained until law enforcement arrived. Hernandez’s sister, Chasity Salazar, has said she supports the murder charge and believes the teenager should face adult consequences. Neither relative witnessed the confrontation, according to ABC13.
Whether the teenager could eventually be prosecuted as an adult had not been resolved publicly in the latest reporting. ABC13 reported that juvenile court records were not available for review, limiting access to details that could explain the prosecution’s theory of the case. The sheriff’s office also declined to release further information because the accused is a juvenile.
The distinction between a juvenile murder charge and an adult criminal prosecution is now one of the central unanswered questions surrounding the case. Salazar has urged adult prosecution, but no public announcement indicated that such a step had been taken. The teenager’s age, background and the specific facts established in court could become important as the case proceeds.
The teen was reported to have been booked into the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center after the charge was filed. The sheriff’s office has said the investigation remains ongoing. Further court proceedings or official statements could provide the first fuller account of why prosecutors chose a murder charge months after Hernandez’s death and how the case will move forward.
Author note: Last updated November 2, 2026.