Harrowing audio has been released of Angeleanna Estorffe struggling to tell a 911 dispatcher her Australian husband was dying after being shot by intruders in their Texas family home.
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Brenton Estorffe and his wife were asleep when the intruders broke a window at the rear of their home in Katy, near Houston, just after midnight on Wednesday.
Their one-year-old and three-year-old children were also sleeping in the home.
Mr Estorffe bravely confronted the intruders but was shot in the chest.
The 911 call, released by the Fort Bend County Sheriffs, captures Mrs Estorffe's shock and terror as her husband was gurgling for breath on their lounge room floor.
"I think he's really hurt," Mrs Estorffe tells the operator.
"Baby, are you okay?
"Babe, are you okay?"
Mrs Estorffe is clearly terrified the intruders are still nearby and concerned for her children.
"I'm sorry I have two kids in the house, I don't know what to do," she says.
"How long before the cops are here?
"I don't know what to do.
"I don't know what to do.
"I'm so sorry."
Sheriffs have also released video of what could be the suspects' vehicle, a light-coloured four-door sedan with what is believed to be a sunroof.
It was captured on a neighbour's residential surveillance camera just before the shooting and then seen leaving just after shots were fired.
One intruder is described as being possibly "dark-skinned", five foot 11 inches tall (180cm), of medium build and wearing a dark-coloured hoodie.
The second intruder had dark-coloured skin, was six foot tall (182cm), of slim build and had a buzz haircut.
A $US25,000 ($A36,472) reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of the men and a GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Mrs Estorffe and her children.
Mr Estorffe, 29, is from Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
He moved to the US in 2011 to play American football and study at South Virginia University.
He had been working for the Enterprise car rental company in Texas.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls has vowed to find the killers.
They are investigating whether the break-in was a case of mistaken identity with authorities baffled as to why the Estorffes were targeted.
Australian Associated Press
