Three men face murder charges following a home invasion on Jan. 25, 2024, at a home on the 22000 block of Morgan Cemetery Road, Cleveland. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the accused have been identified as Andre Franklin, 26, Derrick Wilson, 27, and Jose Gutierrez, 23, all of Houston.
The three suspects are alleged to have shot and killed Steven Santillan, 37, of Cleveland. They reportedly entered the victim’s home at around 3:20 a.m., shot him multiple times, and then fled the scene. The victim’s wife reported the incident to 911, and Splendora police officers, who were nearby, observed a vehicle occupied by three males driving at a high rate of speed and pulling into a nearby gas station.
Officers attempted to make contact with the males, but two of them drove away from the gas station, leaving the third suspect behind. After a brief foot chase, officers were able to arrest all three suspects. According to the MCSO, the three men have extensive felony criminal histories for violent offenses in Harris County and have previously served time in prison.
“The circumstances and motive surrounding this senseless murder of Steven are currently under investigation,” according to the statement released at 10 a.m. Wednesday. “Detectives with the Homicide and Violence Crimes Division and Crime Scene Investigators are still on the scene.” The statement also thanked other law enforcement agencies for their assistance and expressed condolences to the victim’s family.
At this time, mugshots of the three suspects are not available. The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available.