CHANNELVIEW, Texas — In a tragic turn that left a family grieving and a quiet stretch of the East Freeway shaken, 33-year-old Jorge Arturo Gonzalez Jr. was found shot to death inside a motel room on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The discovery came not from a routine patrol, but by deputies serving an unrelated arrest warrant at the Deluxe Inn & Suites when they unexpectedly stumbled on his body.
Gonzalez, a Channelview resident known to friends and family as someone who brought laughter and loyalty into every room, was found in the back bathroom of the room with multiple gunshot wounds. Deputies first went to the motel on the 15800 block of the East Freeway to serve a parole warrant for another person. While securing that scene, they noticed a broken window in a neighboring room and entered — where they made the grim discovery.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office quickly took over the investigation. Detectives gathered evidence pointing toward a violent confrontation that likely happened the night before Gonzalez was found. Officials believe Gonzalez was involved in a dispute with at least three other people inside the room, a confrontation that escalated into deadly violence.
In the early hours of Saturday, January 31, authorities arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting. Forty-one-year-old Joseph Plattenburg and 27-year-old Jordyn Wells were booked into the Harris County Jail, each charged with murder in the death of Gonzalez. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez’s office said the shooting stemmed from a disagreement over owed money, a motive that has left loved ones struggling to reconcile such senseless loss with everyday life.
Those who knew Jorge Gonzalez remember him not for the way he died, but for how he lived. A devoted father, son, brother and friend, Gonzalez lived with a big heart and a deeper love for his family and Houston sports. He was a man whose laughter filled rooms and whose loyalty grounded friendships — attributes that won him admiration in his community and deep affection from those closest to him. Family members say the void his absence leaves is immeasurable.
Gonzalez is survived by his young son, Jorge “LJ” Arturo Gonzalez III, his parents Jorge Arturo Gonzalez Sr. and Beatriz, as well as his sisters Amber Castro, Ashleigh Champagne, Alex Gonzalez and Adriana Gonzalez, and his brother Arturo Gonzalez. He also leaves behind a circle of nieces and nephews who adored their uncle and a grandmother who saw in him a lifetime of love.
Visitation services have been scheduled at Funeraria Del Angel Crespo on Navigation Boulevard in Houston. Friends and family will be able to pay their respects Friday evening and through Saturday evening, honoring Gonzalez’s life and the warmth he shared so freely.
This shooting stands as a stark reminder of how quickly community safety can be shattered, even in moments that begin with the routine work of law enforcement. The investigation into the full circumstances — including how the dispute began and unfolded — continues as authorities build their case against the two suspects now in custody.
