Former Bachelorette contestant Ivan Hall’s brother has been charged with murder after allegedly killing a man.
According to TMZ, police arrested Gabriel Hall for the death of Carlos Veliz Jr. in Abilene, Texas, back in October. The two men allegedly got into a verbal altercation early in the morning on August 31, and it ended when Gabriel fatally shot Veliz in the head. Us Weekly reported that the body was found in the parking lot of a convenience store, and security footage from the business also showed someone behind the wheel of an SUV while arguing with Veliz. Authorities soon connected him to the crime by viewing the surveillance videos that linked a car he was renting to the scene. They also found shell casings in the vehicle and evidence of gunshot residue on his hands and clothing.
He has been reportedly charged with murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of methamphetamines, and other counts. Additionally, he is still currently being held on a $400,000 bond.
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In case you didn’t know, Gabriel previously served four years in prison — something his reality star brother opened up about while competing for Tayshia Adams’ heart on season 16 of The Bachelorette. Ivan said of his sibling’s experience and police brutality at the time:
“Especially with George Floyd and police brutality, that’s something that really hit home for me. You can only imagine how much wilder it could be in prison. My brother used to tell me stories about how these correctional officers, like, beat him up. And I felt so bad because my first question was like, ‘Well, Gabe, what did you do?’ It doesn’t matter. No matter what George Floyd did either way, or what my brother did, these people have a job to do and they need to do it right. They can’t just be hurting people for no reason.”
During another episode of the dating series, Gabriel actually surprised Ivan and Tayshia and joined their hometown date. In a confessional, the 29-year-old Bachelor in Paradise alum expressed:
“The biggest surprise of the night was my brother was here. It was just, like, such a range of emotions, and it meant the world for me. It’s very special for me to have my brother here; he grew up by my side and knows me best. At the end of the day, he’s my best friend, so I’m very excited for Tayshia to meet him.”
For his part, Gabriel gushed about how Ivan was his “best friend”:
“I mean, everything you said, I could say the same about you. You’re my best friend, I look up to you. It’s just unfortunate that when I got dropped in the water, you guys had to learn how to ride the waves as well.”
At this time, Ivan seemingly hasn’t spoken out about his brother’s arrest. We are keeping everyone impacted by this incident in our thoughts.
[Image via Ivan Hall/Instagram, Bachelor Nation/YouTube]