Isaac Gonzales: Teen pleads guilty for firing bullets into wrong house claiming life of 25-year-old woman

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

TEXAS, UNITED STATES: A teenager has confessed to the killing of a 25-year-old woman, Novita Brazil, after mistakenly firing 100 bullets into the wrong home. 

Notably, the innocent victim was engaged in studying at her computer during her tragic death, which occurred after midnight on October 5, 2022. 

In the course of the investigation, authorities discovered the involvement of another teenager, a 15-year-old, in the misguided shooting at the wrong house.

During a recent court hearing, 17-year-old Isaac Gonzales was sentenced to several years in prison on Tuesday. 

In the aftermath of Brazil's untimely death, two individuals initiated a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to support her family. 

They emphasized the positive and happy life Novita Brazil shared with her husband, Robert, in Texas.

Isaac Gonzales sentenced to several years in prison

In the latest court proceedings, both prosecutors and defense attorneys reached a consensus on a concurrent sentence of 40 years for murder and 20 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for Isaac Gonzales. 

This decision follows Gonzales entering his plea in connection with the death of Novita Brazil. 

Online records indicate that a judge has already approved the agreed-upon terms, and Gonzales is scheduled to receive a formal sentencing on Tuesday. 

It's worth noting that Gonzales, who was reported to be a minor at the time of the shooting, had been certified to stand trial as an adult.

How did Novita Brazil die?

As reported by Law&Crime, Novita lost her life at her residence on Bald Mountain Road in San Antonio.

Isaac Gonzales and a 15-year-old, under the mistaken belief that they were targeting a group of gang members who had previously shot at them, fired upon the house. 

During a news conference, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar expressed the tragic error, stating, "But tragically enough, they struck the wrong house. They hit the next-door neighbor. She was a completely innocent bystander, just a young lady working her way through college, doing her homework during the wee hours of the night, burning the midnight oil." 

Sheriff Salazar further disclosed that a 41-year-old woman in town for a San Antonio Spurs game was also injured in the incident. The police swiftly apprehended the suspected shooters in a stolen KIA, initiating a high-speed chase. 

Along the way, the suspects allegedly discarded several guns, including a small assault-style rifle, believed to have been used in the shooting. Despite making bail and removing their GPS-enabled ankle monitors while in jail, warrants were subsequently issued for their arrests.

It is noteworthy that the trial for the other 15-year-old involved in the incident is set to take place in adult court later this month. 

Sheriff Salazar expressed his disdain for the perpetrators, stating, "These are just, in my opinion, bloodthirsty young heathens with no regard for human life, I’m happy that we were able to put him behind bars. They killed an innocent young lady, a 25-year-old woman that was just living her life, pursuing her degree. And these two jack wagons took her life."

A GoFundMe page revealed that Novita Brazil, originally from Indonesia, had been living in San Antonio with her military husband of three years. 

Describing her as a beautiful and kind-hearted person, the page shared that she would be returning to Indonesia for her funeral and to be with her family.