A Texas teenager allegedly strangled and beat his mother to death – and at some point is said to have fled the state with her body in the trunk.
Tyler Roenz, 17, stands accused of murder, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence over the slaying of 49-yr-old Michelle Roenz that is believed to have occurred last Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Both the defendant and his mother were reported missing that day by the teenager’s father – who is also the victim’s husband. The scene he came home to was particularly gruesome: a human tooth was in the garage; a trail of blood led to the master bedroom. There, the distraught man found a pool of blood and four more teeth, according to court records obtained by Houston CBS affiliate KHOU.
The woman’s car was also reported missing. Law enforcement in the Houston area quickly noticed a trail – allegedly finding a series of credit card purchases under Michelle Roenz’s name at gas stations leading all the way to Kansas. The next day, the car was allegedly spotted in Nebraska.
Nebraska State Police said they received word from Harris County law enforcement that the car was likely related to a homicide and traveling within the Cornhusker State late Friday afternoon, KHOU reported. Within 15 minutes, state troopers reportedly caught sight of the car and attempted a traffic stop. But the defendant allegedly gave chase.
The NSP said the Mazda achieved speeds upwards of 110 miles per hour before, after roughly nine miles, the defendant struck the back of a semi-truck and careened off the road into a tree near Aurora, Nebraska.
Tyler Roenz was seriously injured in the crash but survived. In the trunk, authorities found the corpse of his mother.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez alleged via Twitter:
Update #2: the crash occurred near Aurora, Nebraska. The male driver has been identified as missing teen Tyler Roenz. Tyler is being treated at a hospital and said to be in serious condition. The body of a deceased female has been discovered in the trunk of the
1/2 https://t.co/fFeF3vRCRf— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) October 14, 2022
Michelle Roenz’s cause of death was quickly determined to be strangulation and blunt force trauma, according to authorities.
At the time his mother was killed, the defendant was out on $15,000 bond for a third degree attempted sexual assault felony.
According to additional court records obtained by KHOU, Tyler Roenz allegedly picked a teenage girl up from school and stole her phone. But, when she tried to retrieve it, the accused became angry, police say, and he ripped off her top and her bra. After that, according to law enforcement, the defendant repeatedly bit the girl on her back, punched her, groped her breasts and her crotch, and then tried to take off her pants before pushing her out of the car without her shirt. Then, as he drove away, he allegedly kicked the girl in the face so hard that she needed stitches.
That incident allegedly occurred in February of this year; Tyler Roenz appeared in court in April.
The defendant is currently awaiting extradition back to the Lone Star State.
[images via Harris County Sheriff’s Office]
