Texas Man Who Fatally Shot Ex's 12-Year-Old Son Through Window Gets 50 Years in Prison By Liam Quinn

A Texas man who shot through his ex’s window and killed her son was sentenced to 50 years after pleading guilty to murder.

Carlos Fernandez, 12, was fatally shot on March 4, 2024 in his home in Cloverleaf, Texas, after he heard noises in the room where his sister and mother were after hearing a noise, according to KHOU, Fox 26 and KTRK.

Terry Rivera, who was previously in a relationship with Fernandez’s mother and shared two children with her, was identified as the suspect and was arrested a week later, Fox 26 reported.

Rivera pleaded guilty to capital murder on January 20, nearly two years after the shooting, according to the outlets. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, per Fox 26, said that on the night of the shooting, Rivera had dropped off his children at the home of Fernandez’s mother but was acting confrontational.

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Following a confrontation outside the home, the kids were brought inside and Rivera reportedly grabbed a gun from his truck. He is believed to have fired shots through the window of the home, the sheriff’s office said, per Fox.

Fernandez’s mother, Ashley Rostro, told KTRK that she believed her son had been trying to protect her after hearing a noise.

“He’s my protector,” she told the outlet. “He ran in there trying to save me.”