ATASCOSA COUNTY, Texas – Law enforcement officers arrested a 28-year-old man for killing his parents in Leming following an hours-long search and chase across multiple county lines, according to the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials say Derrick Sherwood was in custody as of Sunday evening.
The fatal shootings happened around 3 a.m.
“We got a call from a family member that said he found his parents shot, and they were killed,” said Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward.
It was a heartbreaking scene on Maravillas Drive after the couple was found dead in their home Sunday morning.
Soward said a tip led his deputies to Sherwood shortly after the gruesome discovery of his parents.
“Sure enough, they spotted the suspect’s vehicle, attempted to make contact with the suspect,” Soward said. “He fled in the vehicle, so they pursued him. They pursued him down FM 99 into Live Oak County.”
Soward said Sherwood lost control of his vehicle and went through a fence and into this brush before running off. That’s when a search began.
Atascosa deputies worked with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Game Wardens to track down Sherwood.
“It’s a terrible situation, and you know, it seems like we’re faced with those kinds of situations or similar more often than not here in the last few years,” the sheriff said.
Soward said the suspect was spotted by a helicopter around 5 p.m. Sunday.
When he was arrested, Sherwood wasn’t armed. But law enforcement officials found a gun in the vehicle Sherwood crashed, Showard said.
Sherwood is expected to face homicide charges.
The sheriff says they’re currently not releasing the names of the two victims.
A motive in the killings is unknown at this time.
KSAT will update you with the latest information as more details become available.