Court records say two minor children were inside the vehicle during the deadly incident.
HOUSTON, TX — A woman has been charged with murder after Houston police said she drove off while a man was underneath a vehicle Thursday morning, dragging him about two blocks before he was found dead.
Martha Padilla also faces a charge of failure to stop and render aid in the death of Luis Adrian Zepeda Lopez, according to court records. Police said the case began as a death investigation near Antoine Drive and Sheraton Oaks, then moved into a criminal case after officers reviewed witness accounts and nearby video.
The Houston Police Department said the incident happened about 7:45 a.m. Thursday. Investigators said Zepeda Lopez was working under a black SUV when Padilla, who was in the driver’s seat, pressed the gas and drove away. HPD Capt. Ryan Watson said the vehicle turned south on Antoine Drive while Zepeda Lopez was still beneath it. “She proceeded to turn southbound on Antoine, dragging him approximately two city blocks before he finally became dislodged from underneath the car,” Watson said.
Officers found Zepeda Lopez dead at the scene, police said. Investigators later found the vehicle abandoned at a nearby apartment complex. Police said they worked with apartment staff and business owners in the area to review video that showed the suspect leaving the vehicle and getting into another car. That second vehicle was tracked about five miles away, where Padilla was found and detained pending interviews and further investigation.
Court records identify Zepeda Lopez as Padilla’s boyfriend or husband, though police had not publicly clarified the exact relationship. The records also say Padilla’s two minor children were inside the vehicle and witnessed what prosecutors described as the commission of the murder. Police said a witness told investigators Zepeda Lopez had been underneath the black SUV trying to fix something when the vehicle took off.
Watson said the death did not appear to be accidental at the time of the initial investigation. Police said the evidence suggested the driver knew Zepeda Lopez was under the vehicle before driving away. Authorities have not released a possible motive, and they have not said whether the vehicle belonged to Padilla, Zepeda Lopez or someone else. It also was not immediately clear what repair Zepeda Lopez was making when he was struck.
The charges mark the next step in a case that began with officers responding to a man dead in the roadway. Padilla was scheduled to appear in court Friday, records show. Prosecutors also cited a prior federal immigration removal case and argued she was a flight risk because of that history and because she allegedly left the scene after Zepeda Lopez was dragged from beneath the vehicle.
The area near Antoine Drive and Sheraton Oaks includes apartment complexes and businesses, which became part of the investigation as officers searched for video and witnesses. Police said those records helped them trace the path from the scene to the abandoned vehicle, then to the car that picked up the suspect. No other injuries were reported in the initial police account.
Padilla remained charged with murder and failure to stop and render aid as the case moved through court. Police had not announced additional arrests as of Tuesday. The next public milestone is expected in court, where prosecutors and defense attorneys will address bond, evidence and future hearing dates.
Author note: Last updated June 23, 2026.