Court filings describe a Nov. 2 meeting that moved behind a hotel, where an armed man confronted the victim and two shots struck the victim’s car.
HOUSTON, Texas — Houston police have identified two suspects accused of staging an aggravated robbery after a dating app meetup on Nov. 2. Investigators named Joseph Aguilar and Alejandra Banegas, both 20, and say warrants have been issued as detectives seek additional video and witness accounts.
The case highlights how modern investigations blend digital clues and traditional canvassing. According to charging documents, the victim met Banegas through a dating app, picked her up at a hotel and returned there with food. The department’s robbery division says Aguilar then confronted the victim with a gun behind the hotel, a struggle followed and two rounds were fired that missed the victim but hit his vehicle. A phone was taken. The pair fled before officers arrived. Crime Stoppers has offered up to $5,000 for tips leading to charges or an arrest.
Records say the turnaround in identifying suspects came when an officer compared images from the woman’s dating profile with a prior Harris County booking photo. The match led to Banegas, who, according to the filings, also has an active warrant in a separate assault case in which Aguilar is listed as a co-defendant. The paperwork lists the encounter date as Nov. 2 and places it along a service road behind the same hotel. The specific app used was not listed. No gun has been recovered and no injuries requiring hospital admission were recorded in the complaint. Detectives collected shell casings and are reviewing nearby surveillance for a clearer look at the suspects’ arrival and exit.
Aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon is a first-degree felony in Texas. If the suspects are arrested, they would be booked in Harris County and appear for a probable cause hearing, where a magistrate would review the allegations and set conditions. Prosecutors could later present the case to a grand jury. Investigators said they are also analyzing data tied to the stolen phone and are checking hotel registries and license plate reads from the area to map the suspects’ movements before and after the encounter.
Residents and workers near the hotel described a quiet corridor with intermittent traffic after dark. A maintenance employee said he noticed a car with fresh damage the morning after the reported gunfire. A clerk at a nearby shop recalled hearing “two loud pops” but could not see where they came from. The robbery division has circulated images of both suspects to patrol units and neighboring agencies. “We’re pursuing every lead and will release updates when appropriate,” an HPD investigator said.
As of Saturday, Houston police reported no arrests in the case. Investigators said the next public update would come if either suspect is taken into custody or if new filings add charges or clarify the timeline.
Author note: Last updated December 6, 2025.