Mother of slain teen survives her own shooting

NEAR ALTON - The mother of an Edinburg teen who was killed outside a Lacks furniture store in November was accidentally shot in the backseat of a car Monday evening, authorities said.

Jeanette Canales Luna, who survived the gunshot, was riding in a car traveling on Los Ebanos Road near Farm-to-Market Road 681 about 6:40 p.m. Monday, said Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño.

A male acquaintance sitting next to the 40-year-old Luna shot her once in the chest, Treviño said.

She was taken to an H.E.B. grocery store in Mission, where she was met by an ambulance that took her to an area hospital for treatment, the sheriff said.

Luna is the mother of Fernando "Ferny" Luna Jr., 18, who was found slain Nov. 7 outside the Lacks Clearance Center, 702. W. Expressway 83, Pharr. His killing remains under investigation by Pharr police.

Treviño said he would share information about the Monday shooting with Pharr investigators. He wouldn't speculate whether the two shootings are connected.

Jeanette Luna has been reluctant to talk to deputies but maintained Tuesday afternoon that her shooting was an accident, the sheriff said. She was in stable condition Tuesday and is expected to recover from her injuries.

Criminal charges likely will not be filed against the shooter, who told deputies the gunshot was an accident and that he threw the weapon in a nearby orchard, the sheriff said. Deputies continue to search for the gun in that area.

"If we can actually find the gun and it's stolen, this changes the complexity of the investigation," Treviño said. "Other than that, we're still digging around."

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.