Houston Police Department

August 10, 2005 -- A suspect sought in connection with the fatal shooting of a female at 8700 Gustine Lane on August 9 about 12:45 p.m. shot himself in the head today (August 10).

The suspect, Joey Mata (H/m DOB: 03-21-80), was seen driving away Tuesday in a gray 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass. He was charged with murder in the 179th State District Court.

Investigators today received a Crime Stoppers tip that Mata was at his mother's home in Rosenberg, TX. Investigators asked the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department to assist in the arrest of the suspect. Before HPD investigators arrived at the location, the suspect had shot himself once in the head with a .25-caliber handgun. He was taken by Life Flight helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant S. R. Kennedy and Officer J.C. Bonaby reported:

The victim, Brooke Shorter, 17, of 8700 Gustine Lane, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at Ben Taub General Hospital.

Shorter and Mata were romantically involved. Shorter broke up with Mata in March of 2005 and since then he has made attempts to reconcile with her. Last week, Shorter made a police report with HPD alleging that Mata threatened to kill her and then himself if she did not take him back.

Mata went to Shorter's apartment to return some clothes that he took from her last week. Shorter went out to Mata's vehicle in the parking lot to get her clothes. While Shorter was inventorying her clothes, two of her friends went to check on her welfare. Mata told Shorter to make her friends leave. As her friends were leaving, they heard three gunshots and turned around to see Mata jump in his car and leave at a high rate of speed. They noticed Shorter lying in the parking lot bleeding and with the bag of clothes laying on top of her.

Updated: JGA/JFC 8-10-05
JGA/JFC 8-10-05
Inc#121791805

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.