Texas teen couple charged after using dating apps to lure and rob victims at gunpoint
Police obtained a recorded call in which Canul allegedly said she disposed of the weapon used in the robberies
Two Texas teenagers have been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly using online dating apps to lure victims before violently robbing them in two separate attacks.
Alyssa Canul, 17, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, according to a press release from Universal City Police (UCP) and public Bexar County arrest records. She may also face an additional charge of tampering with physical evidence.
Her boyfriend, Joseph Anthony Aguilar Campos, 18, was arrested one day earlier on Tuesday, 26 May, on two counts of aggravated robbery, per a further police release and public arrest records.
Two violent incidents on the same day
Police confirmed that both alleged incidents took place on 25 May.
"In the first case, the victim was pistol whipped. In the second, a 15-year-old boy was shot four times but survived," police explained.
How the attacks allegedly unfolded
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KSAT, Canul allegedly used a dating app to persuade a victim to meet her at a park bench. Aguilar Campos then appeared and allegedly pistol whipped the victim before robbing him.
In the second incident, a victim said he met Canul at the same bench, after which she allegedly lured him back to the Villa Mesa apartments where she and Aguilar Campos reside.
Upon the victim's arrival at the complex, Aguilar Campos allegedly jumped out from some bushes and began loading his weapon. The victim attempted to flee and was shot four times, according to the affidavit.
The teenager managed to make his way to a nearby coffee shop, where bystanders called emergency services. He was subsequently taken to hospital, where he is expected to make a full recovery, per KSAT and UCP.
Recorded phone call proves crucial
Police also obtained a recorded telephone call between Canul and Aguilar Campos in which Canul is allegedly heard stating that she disposed of the weapon used during the robberies, per the arrest affidavit as reported by KSAT.
Suspects held on significant bail
Canul and Aguilar Campos are currently being held at the Bexar County Adult Detention Centre in San Antonio.
According to Bexar County jail records, Canul is being held on a combined bond of $250,000, whilst Aguilar Campos is being held on a combined bond of $300,000.
