Kristie Jean Williams Canino Murdered

Posted: May 13, 2011 6:07 PM by Lindsay Curtis - LCURTIS@KRISTV.COM Updated: May 13, 2011 6:58 PM

KLEBURG COUNTY - The search has ended for the man wanted in Kleberg County, accused of killing his sister-in-law, Kristie Canino, Thursday night in Ricardo. Friday afternoon, police arrested 40-year-old Armando Salazar Junior near Premont.

The owner of a nearby convenience store had some interesting ties to the tragic event. “My clerk called me, there was a suspicious truck in the parking lot. I drove over there to help her out,” said Robert, the owner of Mesquite Drive Thru. When he got to his business, he watched a red truck drive down the street from his parking lot to Canino's house. “He was parked in the driveway and I could tell the doors were open to the house,” Robert said.

The victim's boyfriend told officials that Armando Salazar went in through the back door of Canino's house. “I talked to her boyfriend. He said they were sitting on the couch with the kids,” Robert said. Salazar asked for his wife, Jennie. Reports say the two may be going through a divorce.

Then, officials say, he pointed a long rifle at Kristie Canino, told her “It's your fault” and shot her. He then warned Canino's boyfriend that he was next and left. The store owner talked to the boyfriend only minutes after canino was shot,“He was really distraught. He was kinda crying, had a bunch of blood on his shirt. Stuff like that.”

Salazar was on the run until about one o'clock Friday afternoon when Brooks County Sheriffs found him near Premont. “It was kind of shocking. We're kind of a small community here. It's kind of shocking for stuff like this happens in our area,” said Robert.

Officials say Salazar faces murder charges.

Posted: May 17, 2011 7:35 AM Updated: May 17, 2011 8:53 AM

RICARDO, Texas (KTRE) - A woman who went to school in Hudson and lived in the Lufkin area was killed in Kleberg County last week, according to the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office.

Kristie Jean Williams Canino, 32, attended school at Hudson ISD and also lived in Corrigan for a time, according to driver's license records.

According to Lt. David Mendoza, Canino died Thursday night after her sister's husband shot her.

Mendoza said Armando Salazar Jr., 40, entered Canino's home in the community of Ricardo, uttered something to her and shot her. Canino died immediately, Mendoza said.

Mendoza said Salazar was arrested Friday and charged with murder.

Canino's boyfriend was home with her when she was shot, Mendoza said. He said they are still interviewing witnesses to determine a motive, but said he suspects it may have had to do with ongoing problems between Salazar and his wife, which Salazar may have blamed on Canino.

Canino leaves behind three children. A friend of the family said money is being raised to cover funeral expenses and to move the children to Nacogdoches so they can live with their grandmother. Anyone wishing to make donations to the family can do so by calling Kingsville Funeral Home at 361-592-5634.

Copyright 2011 KTRE. All rights reserved.