On December 13, 2023, 19-year-old Isaiah Molina was fatally shot in Alice, Texas, after an argument with two brothers, 17-year-old Matthew Garcia and his 16-year-old sibling. Molina exited a residence near North Goliad and St. Joseph Street and fired shots at the house. The Garcia brothers came out and returned fire; Molina was struck in the chest and found lying in the street. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The brothers fled on foot but were located after a coordinated search by the Alice Police Department, the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety near FM Road 1554 and County Road 134, west of Alice. Matthew Garcia was charged with murder and his bond was set at $1 million. His juvenile brother was detained at a San Patricio County juvenile detention center and scheduled to appear in court; the date was not disclosed. Schools in the Alice Independent School District were put on lockdown during the manhunt and the lockdown was lifted after their arrest.

The community has been left grappling with Molina’s death and conversations about youth violence and conflict resolution have followed. If anyone witnessed the shooting or has information that could help the investigation, please come forward.