Relatives offer sharply different views of a fatal May confrontation that ended with Samson Hernandez dead and his 15-year-old son charged.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Relatives of a 15-year-old boy charged with murder in the death of his father are publicly divided over the case, with one side saying the teenager was trying to protect his family and another saying the charge is justified.
The dispute follows a May 5 family disturbance in west Harris County that ended with 35-year-old Samson Hernandez dead. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said Hernandez became involved in a fight with his estranged wife’s boyfriend and that the confrontation moved into the front yard. Authorities said Hernandez’s teenage son intervened and held his father in a chokehold until deputies arrived.
Hernandez was unresponsive when deputies reached the scene and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to authorities. Investigators later presented their findings to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and the teenager was charged with murder on Oct. 29. Because he is a juvenile, authorities have not publicly identified him.
The charge has exposed a deep disagreement within the extended family over how the teenager’s actions should be viewed. Kandice Stofel, the boy’s great-aunt, told ABC13 that she believes he was trying to protect his mother during the disturbance and intended only to restrain his father until law enforcement arrived. Stofel was not present during the confrontation.
Hernandez’s older sister, Chasity Salazar, has taken the opposite position. She told ABC13 that she supports the murder charge and wants accountability for her brother’s death. Salazar also was not at the home when the confrontation occurred and said her view was informed in part by conversations with the sheriff’s office.
The competing family accounts do not resolve what happened legally. The sheriff’s office has said investigators presented the facts of the case to prosecutors, but authorities have not publicly released the additional evidence or reasoning that led to the murder charge. Juvenile court records were not available for public review in reporting on the case, leaving important details about the prosecution outside the public record.
The case developed over nearly six months. Deputies were called to the home in the 21400 block of Sagrantino Court shortly before 4 a.m. May 5. Early accounts from investigators described a dispute involving Hernandez, his estranged wife and another adult man before the teenager became involved. At the time, authorities said the case would be investigated and presented to prosecutors for a decision on possible charges.
Questions also remain about whether prosecutors will seek to have the teenager handled as an adult. No such decision had been publicly announced in the latest reports. Salazar has said she believes the teenager should face the adult justice system, while Stofel has argued that the circumstances should be viewed through the teenager’s stated effort to protect his mother.
The murder charge is an allegation, and the teenager has not been convicted. He was reported to be in juvenile detention after being charged. Authorities have said the investigation remains ongoing, while the legal process will determine how the allegations and any claim of self-defense are evaluated.
Author note: Last updated November 2, 2026.