Lewis Orlando Tejada Arrested: 18-Year-Old Suspect Charged in Fatal Shooting of 16-Year-Old Haley Naive Toledo

An 18-year-old man has been charged in connection with the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl in north Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.

Police said Lewis Orlando Tejada is charged with tampering with physical evidence following the fatal shooting of Hailey

Houston police responded to a shooting call around 3 a.m. Tuesday along Gulf Bank Road, just west of the Hardy Toll Road. When officers arrived, they found a car stopped on the roadway with Hailey in the front passenger seat. She had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Authorities said three young adult men, including Tejada, along with a 17-year-old and a 20-year-old, were inside the vehicle at the time of the shooting. None were injured.

During a probable cause hearing Wednesday, a judge said Tejada told investigators that another vehicle fired at their car, striking Hailey. However, Tejada also allegedly said his own gun was discharged while he and another person were handling it.

According to police, Tejada then threw his firearm into a grassy area before officers arrived. Investigators later found the gun 30 feet from the crime scene, authorities said.

Tejada was booked into jail, and his bond was set at $15,000.