Investigators say a man was pistol-whipped and shots were fired during a Nov. 2 meetup arranged online.
HOUSTON, TX — Houston police are searching for two 20-year-olds accused of robbing a man they contacted through a dating app on Nov. 2, then fleeing after shots were fired that struck the victim’s car. Warrants name Joseph Aguilar and Alejandra Banegas on aggravated robbery charges.
Police say the case began with a dating app match and a plan to get food, but ended with a parking-lot confrontation and a stolen phone. Detectives with the Houston Police Department’s Robbery Division obtained warrants for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon after reviewing court records and identifying the suspects from images tied to an online profile. As of this week, both remained at large. The case highlights a familiar setup to investigators: a victim lured to a meeting spot, an ambush, and a quick escape that leaves few traces beyond spent shell casings, surveillance angles and a phone trail.
According to investigators, the victim matched with Banegas on a dating app and agreed to meet on Nov. 2. The two picked up food and returned to a hotel to eat. While parked, the victim told Banegas he needed to use a restroom. Police say Banegas directed him to a spot behind the hotel. As the victim stepped out, Aguilar approached with a handgun and told him to empty his pockets. In the struggle that followed, the victim was pistol-whipped and two shots were fired. The bullets missed the man but hit his vehicle, investigators said. The man’s phone was taken in the encounter, but he managed to get back into his car and drive away before the pair left the area together. “It started like a normal meetup and turned violent in seconds,” a department spokesperson said.
Detectives later used photos tied to the dating profile to match Banegas to a previous booking image maintained by local authorities, according to court records summarized by investigators. The Robbery Division prepared aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon charges for both Banegas and Aguilar, and a judge signed warrants seeking their arrests. Officials also noted that Banegas has an outstanding warrant in a separate assault case in which Aguilar is listed as a co-defendant. Investigators have not publicly identified the app used in the Nov. 2 meeting and have not released the name of the hotel. Police said they are still working to determine where the two may be staying and whether a vehicle was used during the escape. No other injuries were reported in the Nov. 2 incident, and the victim declined to be named.
The robbery occurred amid a series of cases around the country in which social connections arranged online led to ambushes or thefts. In Houston, HPD’s Robbery Division routinely posts cases on its public bulletin boards and social feeds asking for tips on suspects linked to violent holdups or swindles that begin with digital introductions. Investigators say they are seeing a mix of one-on-one setups and small crews who use a single profile across multiple platforms. In this case, police describe the suspects as a young couple who arrived together or met up nearby before the ambush behind the hotel. Detectives are reviewing area surveillance footage and records associated with the stolen phone for additional leads. The caliber of the weapon used in the shooting was not released.
Once located, Aguilar and Banegas are expected to be booked into the Harris County Jail on the robbery warrants. Under standard procedure, they would appear before a magistrate for a probable cause hearing, and prosecutors could seek additional counts if evidence supports more charges connected to the gunfire. Court dates would be set in the coming days after any arrest. Police said they will update the case if the pair are found or if new evidence narrows their whereabouts. As with other felony investigations in the city, tip information can be submitted through established channels and routed to detectives assigned to the Robbery Division for follow-up interviews and evidence collection.
Outside the hotel where the robbery unfolded, workers returning from lunch this week described the narrow drive that loops behind the building. “You wouldn’t see much from the street,” said a maintenance contractor who gave only his first name, Mario. A nearby restaurant manager said police canvassed the strip center for camera angles capturing the car that took the pair away. “They asked to see our back-lot cameras,” the manager said. “We shared what we had.” Residents in the area said they had not heard gunfire that night but noticed patrol units circling the next morning. The hotel declined comment when reached by phone.
As of Friday, Dec. 5, the warrants remained active and the suspects had not been reported in custody. Detectives said additional updates will be provided once either Aguilar or Banegas are arrested or if new images or locations become available through the investigation.
Author note: Last updated December 5, 2025.