Deputies seek masked men in slaying of store clerk

Harris County Sheriff Deputy Chief Edison Toquica said at a press conference on March 11 that catching the two suspects who killed Donna Pena at the gas station she worked at on March 8 is law enforcement's top priority. less Harris County Sheriff Deputy Chief Edison Toquica said at a press conference on March 11 that catching the two suspects who killed Donna Pena at the gas station she worked at on March 8 is law enforcement's top ... more Photo: Massarah Mikati / Houston Chronicle Photo: Massarah Mikati / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Deputies seek masked men in slaying of store clerk 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Days after two masked men stormed into a Shell gas station in northwest Houston and murdered the store clerk, law enforcement officials are asking the public for help finding the suspects.

Detective David Crain with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said he suspects these two men are connected to at least five to 10 other burglaries in Harris County, including one in February at a Subway sandwich shop in the 600 block of West Mount Houston.

Friday night’s murder of 31-year-old Donna Pena, however, has heightened concerns of authorities, who say as far as they know this is the first homicide the two men have committed.

"It’s clear the suspects’ violence has escalated to a frightening level," said HCSO Chief Deputy Edison Toquica, who said the suspects will be charged with capital murder. "Getting these men off the streets is a top priority for us."

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At 9:45 p.m. on Friday, two black men wearing hoodies and with bandanas covering their faces stormed into the Shell gas station at FM 1960 and Perry Street, fatally shot Pena and fled northwest by foot. They were only in the store for about 25 seconds.

The main suspect, Crain said, is the taller, slimmer man wearing a blue hoodie with the word "navy" printed in large font on the back and in smaller font on the front left chest. The suspect was wearing the same hoodie, Crain said, when robbing the Subway on Feb. 8. In that robbery, the suspect was masked but his partner-in-crime was not, and his face was identifiable in the retrieved surveillance video.

Pena had been working at the Shell gas station for three days when she was killed. Her two children, ages four and 15, will be taken care of by her sister, authorities said.

"It’s a sad day… when somebody who’s responsible to hold a job goes to work to support their family, and their family and loved ones are left with a memory of them not coming back," Toquica said. "We’re going to work this case relentlessly… to bring closure to the family."

Pena’s family has started a GoFundMe to raise money for her memorial service.

massarahmikati@chron.com

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