HOUSTON – Houston police have arrested and charged a woman in connection with a deadly shooting of a man in the parking lot of One 2 One Training Center in the 6300 block of Fairdale in west Houston on Tuesday.
Veronica Erin Staley, 34, was taken into custody Wednesday morning at a relative's residence in northwest Houston, after a relative identified her.
Staley is charged with murder. Her bond has been set at $50,000.
Police said she is the ex-girlfriend of the victim, Aljosa Memovic, 30.
VIDEO of alleged shooter leaving the scene
Staley admitted to her role in Memovic's death, according to police.
According to homicide investigators, security cameras show Staley sitting in her car in the parking lot for more than an hour before the shooting. Police believe the two had arranged a meeting.
Memovic parked his car in a lot on the other side of the building and walked up to Staley's car at about 1:25 p.m.
PHOTOS: Remembering Aljosa Memovic
“She immediately pulls out a gun and fires on him, at least three shots,” Sgt. Matthew Brady, of the Houston Police Department's homicide division, said. “He starts to run across the parking lot behind us. She chases him with gun in hand.”
Police said Staley or Memovic were not members at One 2 One Training Center, nor had they been inside the gym prior to the shooting.
Jeb Hutton was headed to the gym to work out when he pulled into the parking lot and heard screams.
“Then I hear him yelling and screaming, 'Oh my God, oh my God,' running away. I see her get out of her car; hear two more shots,” Hutton said.
According to witnesses, Staley chased Memovic across the parking lot until he collapsed, then fired at least two more shots at him. Apparently out of ammunition, police said she then used the gun to pistol-whip him before sprinting back to her car and speeding away.
Memovic suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died during surgery at Memorial Hermann Hospital.
Cellphone video from a witness showed the woman leaving the parking lot in a black Hyundai Genesis, which has since been covered by police.
"Neither of the two people were in the gym ever," gym manager Joseph Corri said. "It was just a weird occurrence in our parking lot unfortunately."
KPRC2 spoke with the family who gave a statement saying,“Memovic had no enemies. Every person he met became an instant friend. He had an inviting glow that made strangers feel safe, appreciated, and understood. These friendships came easy to Aljoša because he loved people. He was intelligent, hard-working, kind, generous, and could always make you laugh, whether you felt like laughing or not."
According to the statement, Memovic went to medical school — eventually becoming a certified paramedic — before deciding to pursue a career in sales.
“If he put his mind to it, he could sell a vacuum to a woman with no carpet in her home,” the family said.
The family went on saying, “He was compassionate, loyal, reliable, and would drop whatever he was doing to help a friend in need. He was the best older brother, son, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend a person could have.”
The family said Memovic will be greatly missed, forever loved and never forgotten.