Lubbock homicide detectives believe a 25-year-old man was gunned down last month during a deal for thousands of dollars worth of THC vape pens and other drugs at his home, court documents state.
Detectives worked through the holiday to identify and arrest the two men they believe shot and killed 25-year-old Devante Edwards on Dec. 12 at his home in west Lubbock.
More: Police announce 2 charged with murder, arrested after west Lubbock shooting
Bryan Garcia, 23, and Xavier Garcia, 21, were served arrest warrants on Jan. 2 charging them with murder.
Their charges stem from a Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes unit investigation that began after Lubbock police responded to an 11 p.m. shots fired call at a residence in the 6100 block of 26th Street.
Responding officers found Edwards’ body in front of the residence’s garage. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Investigators spoke to witnesses who said they knew Edwards sold illegal narcotics from his garage.
One witness said he believed Edwards, who often arranged sales through the online social media platform Snapchat, was selling 100 THC vape pens to an unknown buyer. THC is the psychoactive component of marijuana.
A search of Edwards’ phone showed Snapchat messages between him and another person using the account, “YRS BRYAN,” earlier that day.
The messages indicated Edwards was meeting the buyer at his home to sell $3,400 worth of disposable THC vape pens and other drugs, the affidavit states.
Investigators found video from nearby security cameras that showed a red pickup truck arriving in the area minutes before the shooting.
More video footage shows muzzle flashes from a firearm at the residence.
A license plate reader camera captured the license plate of a red 2020 Dodge Ram pickup truck registered to Xavier Garcia heading eastbound on 19th street at the Iola Avenue intersection shortly after the shooting.
Meanwhile, investigators found a message on Edwards’ phone from an internet payment app notifying him of a declined charge of $3,400 from a debit card linked to Bryan Garcia, who was arrested on Christmas Eve for an unrelated drug charge.
A search of his phone reportedly yielded evidence that indicated he was the person Edwards was messaging on Snapchat.
Investigators also found messages between Bryan Garcia and Xavier Garcia 20 minutes before the shooting.
“He has at next to him,” Bryan Garcia reportedly texted Xavier Garcia, who responded, “So what?”
“idk (I don’t know) what you tryna do,” Bryan texted Xavier.
“Take it. Stick them up real quick,” Xavier reportedly texted Bryan, “Let me know what you do. I’ll be there in less than five. That’s what you tryna do. Lmk (Let me know)”
Investigators also found video evidence that showed Bryan Garcia firing a semi-automatic weapon two days after Edwards’ death in the northwest part of Shallowater, where detectives recovered bullet casings that matched the casings found at Edwards’ home.
Investigators would later collect that weapon from Garcia’s home and learn that it was reportedly stolen from Edwards, the warrant states.
Meanwhile, on Dec. 29, detectives collected Xavier Garcia’s phone and found text messages on the day of Edwards’ death asking another person for a pistol.
Bryan and Xavier Garcia remain held at the Lubbock County Detention Center. Their bonds are set at $300,000 each for the murder charge.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Documents shed more light on December fatal shooting in West Lubbock