A 25-year-old man arrested in connection with a late-September deadly shooting was released from jail on Wednesday after prosecutors filed to dismiss the murder charge against him.
Isaac Deleon had been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center for about 13 days after investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest charging him with murder in connection with the Sept. 29 shooting death of 41-year-old Ismael Saenz in the 3200 block of Baylor Avenue.
On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the charge, citing insufficient evidence, according to court documents.
Officials at the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office said the investigation remains pending and could not comment on the case.
The case against Deleon stemmed from a Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit investigation that began after patrol officers responded about 10:30 p.m. Sept. 29 to the area for reports of a fight, then shots fired.
Responding officers found Saenz suffering multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deleon was identified as the shooter after witnesses told responding officers they saw a man in a red shirt shoot Saenz then run away, according to court documents.
A 911 caller reported seeing a man in a red shirt running through the alley north of Colgate Avenue. Investigators recovered unfired rounds in the north alley of the 3200 block of Colgate Avenue that matched the casings found at the scene of the shooting.
A resident told investigators he heard fighting outside and went to investigate. He said he saw a large-framed man in a red shirt point a pistol at Saenz and shoot him, according to an arrest warrant.
Deleon was found at 3200 Bates Street, Rodgers Park, wearing a red t-shirt. Jail records list Deleon at 6’02” and approximately 250 pounds.
Meanwhile, investigators learned Deleon was among a group of people gathered at the scene for a fight. Saenz approached the group and Deleon reportedly shot him, according to a Lubbock police news release.
However, neither the release nor the court documents disclose the cause of the fight or shooting.
Investigators spoke with Deleon at the Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit headquarters and he reportedly provided several versions of what happened that night. He admitted he was at the residence at the time of the shooting but was inside.
Investigators noted Deleon was deceptive during the interview and he reportedly admitted to lying to them.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Murder charge dropped against suspect in North Lubbock shooting