Multiple people arrested in home invasion where 3 including a child were locked in closet on Eldridge Valley Drive, officials say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A northwest Houston man has been arrested and is accused of a home invasion where prosecutors say three people, including a child, were pistol-whipped and locked in a closet.

The alleged crime happened in March 2024 in the 13000 block of Eldridge Valley Drive.

Joel Abarca is charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. He appeared in court, where a judge set his bond at $100,000.

According to the judge, Abarca is accused of a coordinated home invasion where a group allegedly held two adults and a child at gunpoint, pistol-whipping them, and then locking them in a closet while they robbed them.

Harris County investigators say multiple people were arrested, but in the past month, they obtained new evidence that also places Abarca at the scene.

Court documents show Abarca is accused of acting as a lookout or coordinator in the home invasion.

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