A Big Spring man has been charged with murder after police say he shot and killed an armed intruder who forced his way into a home late Friday, Jan. 9, on the city’s north side. Officers responded around 10:30 p.m. to the 2600 block of Langley Drive and later arrested the homeowner following an overnight investigation.
Authorities identified the suspect as Joel Adrian Florez, 43. The man who was shot was identified as Phillip Samuel Lozano Jr., 36. Police said Lozano was found inside with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at the scene by a local justice of the peace. Detectives said initial evidence provided probable cause for a murder charge, and Florez was booked into the Howard County Detention Center. The case has drawn attention because it started as a reported home invasion but quickly moved into a criminal charge as investigators reviewed statements, processed the residence and conferred with supervisors. The investigation remains active.
Officers were dispatched after 10:30 p.m. Jan. 9 on reports of shots fired at a residence on Langley Drive, a block of single-family homes near the city’s northern neighborhoods. When police arrived, they encountered Florez and a 40-year-old woman standing outside. According to police, Florez told officers there was a gunshot victim inside the home. The victim was later identified as Lozano. “Officers discovered that Lozano had suffered from gunshot wounds and was deceased,” the department said. Justice of the Peace Campbell pronounced the death on site. Detectives secured the scene, collected shell casings and other physical evidence, and interviewed people at the home and nearby. The woman was not reported injured. Police have not said how many rounds were fired or who else, if anyone, was inside when the shooting began.
Investigators said Lozano forced his way into the home while armed before the shooting. Police did not describe the weapon they say he carried or how he entered the residence. After processing the scene and reviewing accounts, investigators determined there was probable cause to charge Florez with murder. Detectives obtained a warrant on Saturday, Jan. 10, and took Florez into custody. He was booked into the Howard County Detention Center. A judge later set bond at $1 million, according to local court records. Police Chief Chad Williams said detectives and crime scene personnel continue to review evidence gathered from the residence and interviews. Whether Lozano and Florez knew each other remains unknown. Investigators have not publicly addressed whether any home security video or 911 recordings captured the encounter.
The house sits on a residential street a few miles from downtown Big Spring, a West Texas city of roughly 25,000 that serves as the Howard County seat. Late-night violent crime is uncommon on Langley Drive, but police have responded to sporadic disturbances in the area in past years. Fatal shootings inside homes in the region often prompt detailed reviews by local detectives and prosecutors, including a look at entry points, weapons, ballistics and timelines. In prior cases in Howard and neighboring counties, authorities have frequently released preliminary accounts within 24 to 48 hours, followed by more detailed affidavits as lab results and autopsy findings return. Officials said this case is at the early stage, with evidence still being examined and final reports pending.
After Florez’s arrest on Jan. 10, the case shifted to the courts. Booking records list him at the Howard County Detention Center on the murder count. An initial appearance and formal arraignment are expected once prosecutors file charging documents with the district clerk. Detectives said they will submit their case file to the Howard County District Attorney’s Office after completing interviews and evidence testing. No additional charges had been announced as of Friday, Jan. 16. Authorities did not release an autopsy date, but in similar cases, medical examiners typically document gunshot trajectories, distance and toxicology, which can be included in probable cause affidavits or presented later to a grand jury. Police said they will release updates as the investigation develops.
By Saturday morning, crime scene tape still marked sections of Langley Drive as detectives finished photographing the exterior and towing a vehicle from the curb for processing. A neighbor who declined to give a full name said the street was quiet before officers arrived and that “lights and sirens came all at once.” Police did not report any threat to the broader neighborhood and said they were not seeking additional suspects. Williams said the department’s focus is to determine a complete timeline from the first entry to the final shot. “We want the facts as they happened,” he said, adding that more information would be released when verified by investigators.
As of Friday afternoon, Florez remained jailed in Howard County while detectives continued to collect and review evidence. The next visible step is expected to be a court filing setting an initial hearing date or a grand jury presentation in the coming weeks.
Author note: Last updated January 16, 2026.