HOUSTON – Members of the Houston Police Department's SWAT responded to a motel in the 13000 block of the East Freeway Monday afternoon.
Homicide investigators were looking for a person of interest in connection to a murder that happened on Sunday in the 6000 block of Etterick Street.
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Channel 2 news has learned that a man in his 50s was shot and killed and a woman was pistol whipped during a home invasion robbery.
Information gathered during that investigation lead officers to the motel on Monday.
They were looking for 18-year-old Julius Merchant and learned he was staying there.
No one was answering the door where he was reportedly staying and communication attempts inside the room were unsuccessful so SWAT went in; they discovered the room was empty.
They quickly learned Merchant was staying in an adjacent room. They knocked on that door and someone answered, officers spotted Merchant running into the bathroom.
He was arrested and taken into custody without incident. He is now being questioned by investigators.
Several others who were also in the room were questioned and released.
Police say Merchant had a warrant out for felony evading but has not been charged in the other crime. It remains under investigation.