Police in Texas, USA, report that a man accused of a recent hom!cide was obsessed with the coworker he m*rdered, citing her “long breaks” as the primary motive.
Travis Merrill, 51, was arrested for allegedly sh*oting and killing his coworker, Tamhara Collazo, at her office desk last Thursday. They both worked at an Allegiance Trucks office in Lewisville, about 30 miles north of Dallas, Texas.
Authorities say that Merrill opened fire in the afternoon after Collazo returned from a lunch break. She was taken to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injur!es.
An affidavit obtained by FOX 4 Dallas details that Merrill followed her to her cubicle as she re-entered after lunch and “ambushed” her, firing multiple sh*ts.
The court document disclosed that Merrill confessed to being “obsessed” with Collazo and was fixated on her work breaks, meticulously recording when and how long they were.
“[Merrill said he] was obsessed with Collazo and grew increasingly angry at her taking what he considered unauthorized long breaks during work hours and ignoring him,” the affidavit stated.
Collazo noticed Merrill’s alarming behavior and reported him to the company’s HR department. Subsequently, HR instructed Merrill to seek counseling before returning to work.
Merrill also told the police that Collazo’s avoidance after reporting him made him angry. He purchased f!rearms and confessed to bringing them to work on various occasions.
He claimed that he felt Collazo had “caused him pain, and he wanted her to feel pain,” planning to shoot her at work with everyone present, according to FOX 4.
Allegiance Trucks issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the incident, announcing the indefinite closure of its Lewisville office and its commitment to supporting the victim’s family and other employees. The company is cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.
“We ask for the community’s support as our company has become part of the growing national issue of workplaces affected by gun violence,” Allegiance Trucks stated.