From his hospital room, 21-year-old Erik Serna remembers the tragic night that has changed his life, a night authorities said is likely a case of mistaken identity.
"I was about to open the door for my room,” he said. “They just knocked it open and suddenly I see a guy with a weapon in his arm."
Erik said he instinctively reached for the armed man and wrestled him to the ground.
But in that time, a second gunman approached his alarmed father and pulled the trigger shooting him in the head.
"Once I wanted to go towards the other one, the one that shot my dad, he shot me and they ran out of the house,” he explained. “It just happened so fast."
The father and son were rushed to different hospitals.
Erik said the gunshot to the head left his dad, Victor Serna, brain dead.
The family made the difficult decision to remove him from life support, and he passed away on Friday night.
"All I really wanted was to clear his name and not let him die with a name as a criminal," he said.
After initially reporting Victor Serna had a criminal background, Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño backtracked.
"We made the mistake of confusing two criminal histories," the sheriff said.
With his reputation restored, Erik says his father can rest in peace.
Though he is dependent on crutches for now, he is hopeful the doctors will clear him to go to the funeral services on Tuesday and Wednesday.
As for the men responsible, "I just want them to get what they deserve for that they did."
A rosary for Victor Serna will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Amador Funeral Home in Pharr.
He will be laid to rest on Wednesday at the Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Edinburg.
The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has two men in custody in connection to the deadly home invasion.
A judge charged Juan Antonio Moreno, 29, with capital murder and issued him a $1 million bond.
A second suspect, Alberto Carrasco Vela, 31, remained hospitalized.
Sheriff Treviño said, before getting shot in the head, Victor Serna was able to shoot Vela in the torso.
Treviño added that he believes there are 3 or 4 more men involved, but they may not know each other.
"This was an ad hoc group put together by somebody and that's what who we're trying to determine who that somebody was,” he said. “Who gave them the initial information and that's what makes it difficult for us."
Treviño said the home invasion was likely a case of mistaken identity and that they targeted the wrong home.
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