A SWAT standoff in a Houston suburb overnight Wednesday began when the suspect’s father came to Stafford police headquarters, saying his son had killed someone, and ended hours later with the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Adrian Mercado, shot at police when they first arrived around 10 p.m., hitting an officer’s radio attached to his protective vest, KHOU reported.
“He actually stayed on scene for a while; he did not want to leave,” Stafford Police Lt. Luciano Lopez said. “He wanted to see it through to the end. He wasn’t injured, so I commend him for trying to see the job through.”
Police found the body of Thomas Goodson, 32, in the backyard, wrapped in a blanket and covered in plywood. His relationship with Mercado is not clear, and why Mercado killed him is not known.
Mercado reportedly fired at police periodically for at least an hour before a SWAT team was called in, KTRK said.
“The line of fire was toward Stafford Road. There’s no homes that way, just an open field,” Lopez said.
Police said Mercado had a warrant for aggravated robbery, but it’s not clear why he had not been arrested.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
