Houston man sentenced in murder of 19-year-old, 2021 crime spree
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Alexander Salvador Ordonez has been sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in a 2021 crime spree that resulted in the death of one man and the injury of another, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Thursday.
The 22-year-old from Houston received his sentence after a five-day trial. A Harris County jury found him guilty of murdering 19-year-old Cameron B. Stevens at a Cypress Station apartment complex on Feb. 6, 2021.
"Connecting online with strangers to buy and sell things at in-person meetups has become such an integral part of our culture that thieves and criminals are using the process to take advantage of innocent people," Ogg said. "We have to remember to stay vigilant and try to have safeguards in place, even for transactions that come together quickly or happen late at night."
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Stevens agreed to meet Ordonez or his younger brother, Kevin Ordonez, at night to purchase a handgun at a well-lit apartment complex.
According to the DA's Office, when the deal fell through, Stevens began walking back to his apartment. The Ordonez brothers, in a white 2012 Chevy Malibu, slowly followed him. As Stevens, unarmed, walked away, they fired at him, striking him in the head and killing him.
Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the scene and initiated an investigation, which included reviewing surveillance footage from multiple cameras. The footage revealed the car’s license plate, linking it to an armed robbery that had occurred the previous day. In that incident, a man and a woman were robbed of their money, marijuana, and vehicle by the Ordonez brothers, who posed as marijuana buyers. The male victim was shot in the leg but survived.
Alexander Salvador Ordonez (Courtesy of Harris County District Attorney Office)
Further investigation revealed the brothers' involvement in another armed robbery outside an auto parts store the day after the murder.
While charges for the two aggravated robberies were dismissed following Alexander Ordonez’s murder conviction, the details of these crimes were presented during his sentencing to provide the judge with a comprehensive view of the crime spree.
Assistant District Attorneys Gilbert Sawtelle and Sean Kozar-King prosecuted the case.
"These two brothers were working together in this scheme to set up innocent people who thought they were going to be buying something or selling something and ended up being robbed at gunpoint," Sawtelle said. "It’s a scary thing for any citizen of Harris County because these kinds of meetups, whether it’s Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, happen all the time, and the last thing that anybody wants is to be robbed or shot."
Sawtelle stated there was no reason for the shootings at all. "They got what they wanted, and there was no need to shoot anyone."
He advised the public to take precautions when arranging meetups, such as bringing someone along, meeting during daylight hours in public areas, and remaining vigilant. Many law enforcement agencies offer designated areas for these transactions.fp
Kevin Ordonez, 20, faces several charges, including murder, for his role in the crime spree. His trial is scheduled for October.