Pharr man accuses victim of harassing him before shooting

PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral details the events of a shooting that left a man dead.

Fernando Sandoval III was charged with murder and four counts of child endangerment, according to a previous ValleyCentral report.

On June 6, authorities responded to a possible homicide at the 700 block of N. Erica Street.

Fernando Sandoval III (Source: Hidalgo County Jail Records)

At the scene, a responding officer spoke with a man, later identified as Sandoval, who reported having shot a man, identified as Manuel Garcia.

According to the criminal complaint, when authorities asked for the weapon, Sandoval pointed that he placed the handgun on top of the hood of a black truck.

By the truck, authoririties found Garcia laying face down, bleeding heavily, the complaint documented.

Pharr Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene where they declared Garcia dead. According to the complaint, Sandoval told police, Garcia had assaulted him in the past.

Moments before the shooting, Sandoval claims, his step-children had texted him stating Garcia was at his mom's house, located at the 700 block of N. Erica Street. When he found this out, Sandoval left his residence and drove to his mom's house.

When he arrived, he claims, he saw Garcia next to his mother and felt he was going to hurt her and "he did what he did to protect his family."

Two witnesses provided statements to police, stating that Sandoval shot towards Garcia.

In the complaint, the witnesses stated they were standing outside by a white picket fence with their children, who all witnessed the shooting while inside Garcia's tan Lincoln town car.

According to the criminal complaint, the children were in the car and witnessed the shooting at a close proximity.

Sandoval was issued a total bond of $2,080,000.