HOUSTON — A man is out of the hospital and recovering at home after he says his ex-girlfriend tried to kill him.
Elvis Muñoz said she shot him so many times that the gun ran out of bullets. Now, as he continues to recover from surgeries on his lungs, intestines and hands, he’s worried because she just posted bond.
Muñoz is sharing his story, revealing the wounds he says his ex-girlfriend, Alexys Pinto, left behind when she shot him.
“You’re willing to take care of someone and love them so much for three years and for them to pay you with bullets, try to take your life,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz said he didn’t realize it at first, but he was in an abusive relationship. Muñoz says his girlfriend was jealous, controlling and isolated him from loved ones.
It all came to a head on September 5 when she took him to a wooded area near 288 and Airport Boulevard. supposedly to watch the sunset. Instead, she allegedly opened fire.
“That’s when I felt my left hand get hit,” Muñoz said. “Like I just felt my hand get hot. I was running, holding my chest and stomach."
He said she aimed the gun directly at his face. Fortunately, he moved just in time and the bullet grazed him.
“I just threw my hand like this and I moved my head,” he said. “It went in.”
After emptying her gun, Muñoz said he convinced Pinto to get help. She called her father and drove him to a gas station, where help finally arrived.
Multiple surgeries later, Muñoz — once a mechanic — is now disabled, with limited movement in his hands.
“I took several shots. I fought for my life for hours,” he said.
On Thursday, the same day he was getting a bullet removed from his back, Pinto’s bond was reduced from $75,000 to $10,000.
He’s now scared, not just for himself, but for the family that is caring for him.
“I am furious that the system is not doing their part,” said Ana Fernandez, Muñoz’s sister. “Because someone stated she has mental illness.”
Now that Pinto is out on bond, Muñoz says he’s living in fear.
“She might want to come back and do something,” he said.
Pinto has to follow some strict bond conditions, including wearing an ankle monitor.
Resources for victims of domestic or family violence
Domestic and family violence cases in the Houston area have increased at an alarming rate. Victims often suffer in silence because they feel scared, helpless or ashamed.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, here are some discreet ways to reach out for help.
The Houston Area Women’s Center has a 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence at 713-528-2121 or 1-800-256-0551.
The Family Time Crisis Center can also be reached 24 hours a day at 281-446-2615.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 88788.