HOUSTON – Two robbery suspects are in custody thanks to an alert Harris County Precinct 6 deputy constable.
Shortly after midnight on Monday, Deputy Jennifer Marenco observed a vehicle run a red light at 2400 Wayside in southeast Houston. After pulling over the vehicle, the deputy spotted something suspicious.
"At the bottom of the floor, they had the casing of a bullet. So that's what caught my eye," Marenco told Local 2.
The deputy then placed the two male occupants of the vehicle into the back of a patrol car.
During a search of the men's vehicle, deputies say a semi-automatic pistol, a purse and a woman's identification card was discovered.
The deputy contacted the Houston Police Department, where officers confirmed the purse and ID card belonged to a woman who was the victim of an aggravated robbery about one hour earlier.
Deputies say the victim was able to confirm the men in custody were the same men who robbed her at gunpoint.
"She was happy. I was happier with her being safe. That was my main concern that she was OK," said Marenco.
Eliseo Maldonado, 19, and Juan Carlos Sandoval, 19, were arrested by HPD and charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
"It's a great feeling that out of a small bullet you end up solving a crime. Something that had just happened. Good thing nobody was hurt," Marenco said.