Records show teen suspects out on bail at time of killings

Melvin Enrique Bonilla-Fuente was ambushed in the parking lot of his Greater Greenspoint apartment complex.

He got out of his car around 10 p.m. on Nov. 8 at 197 Goodson. Two teenagers armed with pistols approached him, according to sworn statements from police officers.

In the ensuing scuffle, at least one of the teens shot Bonilla-Fuente.

He was taken to the hospital but did not survive.

Bonilla-Fuente’s death appears to be part of a larger pattern that week in November of attempted armed robberies turned murders that left three dead, more injured and can be linked back to at least one of two teenagers.

Ferrell Dardar, 18, and Philip Battles, 18, were charged Wednesday with capital murder in Bonilla Fuentes’ death.

The most recent accusation follows charges that were filed in 2016 that link Dardar to two murders during armed robberies and Battles to three, including that of a 4-year-old girl, all between Nov. 7 and Nov. 14.

Dardar and Battles were both out on bail when they were believed to have killed Bonilla-Fuentes and their other victims, according to court documents.

Dardar was out on $30,000 bail in November, after being charged twice with aggravated robbery with a firearm in September 2015, according to court documents.

Battles wound up behind bars in June 2016 after he was accused of breaking into a vehicle while armed.

He was released on $1,000 bail, then jailed again after failing to answer curfew calls. He made bail again, this time for $2,000.

Police believe Battles’ first victim during the November crime spree was a 62-year-old man. Ignacio H. Ortega was working Nov. 7 in his garden when Battles approached him, tried to rob him and then shot and killed him with a gun, according to court documents.

The following day was Bonilla-Fuente’s death.

Six days later, police believe the duo shot and killed 4-year-old Ava Castillo.

Similar to Bonilla Fuente’s case, Ava, her mother and 10-year-old sister were in the parking lot of their Greenspoint-area apartment complex. The little girl’s mother was unloading groceries when police suspect Dardar, Battles and one other teen — 17-year-old Marco Miller — ambushed the trio, fatally shooting Ava in the forehead and injuring her mother and sister.

Battles was charged Nov. 30 with capital murder in Ortega’s death.

Battles and Dardar were charged Dec. 2 with capital murder for Ava’s death.

Battles had been behind bars in the Harris County Jail in the death of Castillo since Nov. 30. Dardar was arrested Dec. 2..

Both are being held without bail.