Suspect charged in Thanksgiving Day murder

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Police have a suspect in custody in connection to a Thanksgiving Day shooting that left one man dead.

The mother of the victim says someone brought forth information just hours after our story aired two weeks ago.

The arrest of Edgar Perez-Gamez brings tears of relief to the mother of Samuel Charlez, Jr. The 23-year-old man murdered Thanksgiving night. 

"I cried, I cried because I know they have the right person," says Lisa Charlez, mother of Samuel Charlez, Jr.    

Surveillance video shows the parking lot off North Lamar near Rundberg Lane, where the shooting happened. A lot has gone on over the past two and a half months. Austin Police initially arrested a suspect who was identified during a photo lineup by a second victim.

He was wrongly identified and charges were later dropped. Charlez Jr.'s mother says it's been extremely hard for the family, especially for her son's three-year-old daughter. 

"Aliyah cries at night for her dad, wanting to see him, wanting to talk to him. It's hard to hear a child fight for a parent who is not here anymore," says Lisa Charlez. 

APD announced their renewed search efforts January 30th. The next day Charlez, Jr.'s mother reached out to FOX 7 hoping her words would prompt someone to come forward. Shortly after, that's what happened.  

"That night after it aired, maybe two hours later, we got some information of who did it," says Lisa Charlez. 

This past Saturday Perez-Gamez was arrested. According to court documents, a witness says he admitted to shooting Charlez Jr. in self defense. But, police argue that he never tried to report the incident. Perez-Gamez has an extensive criminal history and is currently on probation for aggravated robbery.

"I would like for him to have life in prison only because my son didn't get to live his life," says Lisa Charlez.