Full Notification

Homicide investigators have charged three men with capital murder and one man with tampering with evidence stemming from the murder of Katy Man.

On April 28, 2019, the complainant, twenty-one year old Zulyr Kaleem, was reported as missing to the Harris County Sheriff's Office by his family. The family reported Zulyr was last seen by his family on April 26, 2019 after leaving a fitness center in Katy, Texas.

The HCSO Missing Person Unit conducted the initial investigation and developed information which led Investigators to believe Zulyr Kaleem was murdered.

In August of 2019 the case was re-assigned to the HCSO Homicide Unit. During the course of the extensive investigation, Homicide Investigators developed leads and evidence which suggested Kaleem Zulyr was killed during the course of a narcotics transaction and his body was disposed of at an unknown location.

On April 25, 2020, Jose Varela, 21, and Austin Walker, 21, were arrested and charged with Capital Murder. Both provided statements admitting to their involvement in the murder of Zulyr Kaleem.

On April 28, 2020, Homicide Investigators arrested and charged Eric Aguilar, 22, with Capital Murder for his role in the death of Zulyr Kaleem.

On April 28, 2020, Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Investigators, Texas Rangers, and Deputies with the Grimes County Sheriff's Office were led to a residence located in the 8200 block of Loblolly in Grimes County, Texas.

Homicide Investigators met with a male Gannon Gotlieb, twenty-three years of age, who admitted to burying the body of Zulyr Kaleem on the property of his residence.

Buried human remains were recovered on the property.

Gannon Gotlieb was charged with Tampering with Evidence/Human Body and booked into the Grimes County Jail.