Blinded by jealousy Francisco Cruz killed the mother of his son (PHOTOS)

• Francisco Cruz shot and killed two people in Houston, Texas.
• He acted in a fit of jealously.
• Cruz could face the death penalty.

Francisco Cruz, 37, was arrested in Houston, Texas, and charged with two counts of capital murder for a brutal double shooting.

The accused is currently in the Harris County jail where he awaits trial.

Victoria Steckel, 34, and Víctor Díaz, 29, were shot to death on a dark November morning and initially their deaths were a mystery.

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Francisco Cruz could receive the death penalty for his crime

According to the Penal Code of the State of Texas, the crime of capital murder is punishable by the death penalty.

Francisco Cruz appeared before Judge Kelli Johnson of the 178th Criminal District Court in Harris County.

Detectives from the Homicide Division of the Houston Police Department (HPD) worked overtime for several months to solve the crime.

On Monday, November 6, 2023, several people called 911 2:10 in the morning to report a shooting.

Police find the bodies of Victoria Steckel and Víctor Díaz

HPD officers responded to the scene in front of an apartment complex at 501 Seminar Drive in the north Houston metropolitan area.

They saw a Volkswagen Tiguan truck parked with two people inside.

Police discovered the victims had been shot several times at close range.

Detectives from the HPD Homicide Division responded to the scene and identified the victims as Victoria Steckel and Víctor Díaz.

The clue that led to Francisco Cruz was in Victoria Steckel’s phone

The crime was a true mystery for detectives because the windows of the truck were down and the shooter had not stolen anything.

One of the detectives decided to investigate the romantic past of Victoria Steckel and Víctor Díaz. This is how the crime was solved.

Victoria Steckel had had a romantic relationship with a man named Francisco Cruz and they had a son. That relationship allegedly ended badly.

The detectives searched the victims’ cell phone and there they found evidence against Francisco Cruz.

Detectives began tracking Francisco Cruz

Victoria Steckel had Francisco Cruz’s phone number listed under ‘Idiot #2’ and they mostly communicated about their son.

Detectives were quickly able to confirm that Victoria Steckel was going to meet Francisco Cruz that day.

They were planning to discuss their custody arrangement.

Several security cameras in the area caught the moment in which Francisco Cruz arrived at the truck with Victoria Seckel and Victor Diaz inside.

The motive for the crime may have been jealousy

The security footage showed Francisco Cruz was there.

HPD detectives were then able to obtain records on Francisco Cruz’s cell phone that placed him at the scene of the brutal crime at the same time.

Francisco Cruz arrived at the truck and shot Victoria Steckel and Víctor Díaz several timees in the neck torso and head.

A GoFundMe has been set up for Victoria’s son.