Brandon Michael Lopez, a 19-year-old male of Hispanic ethnicity from Beaumont, Texas, tragically passed away on July 23, 2016, in Livingston, Texas. Lopez was born on January 17, 1997, to Arthur and Melissa Lopez in Austin, Texas. He was a 2015 graduate of Westbrook High School.
The cause of Brandon Lopez's death was a single gunshot wound to the right armpit/chest area.
According to reports, Lopez and Samuel Jacobe Gotreaux, also 19 years old and from Beaumont, got into an argument at the Wild Country Subdivision in Livingston. During the altercation, Lopez threw a metal object through the back glass of Gotreaux's truck. In response, Gotreaux retrieved a 20-gauge shotgun from his truck, loaded it with one round, and fired at Lopez, striking him in the armpit/chest area.
Emergency services were called to the scene, and Lopez was transported to CHI St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by medical staff. Gotreaux was taken into custody by Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives and charged with murder. He was held in the Polk County Jail, and at the time of the report, no bond had been set.
The investigation revealed that Savannah Hampton, a resident of Polk County, was present at the scene and provided statements to the detectives. The case drew significant attention in the local community, and the legal proceedings against Gotreaux continued as the authorities sought justice for Brandon Lopez's untimely death.
This tragic incident highlights the devastating consequences of heated arguments escalating into violence, leaving a young life cut short and a community grappling with the aftermath.
