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UPDATE: Person Of Interest In Homicides Captured In Northwest Harris County Is Charged With Two Capital Murder Counts

Investigators say it’s possible another capital murder count could be filed Wednesday

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Photo via Harris County Sheriff's Office's Twitter
Jose Gilberto Rodriguez is in custody.

Sheriff’s deputies in Houston acting on a tip from a caller Tuesday arrested a suspected serial killer linked to the deaths of three people. He has been charged with with two capital murder counts and another capital murder count could be filed Wednesday.

The caller spotted a Nissan Sentra that authorities had earlier said was being driven by Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, 46, a felon who spent decades in prison before being released last year.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was notified and a deputy attempted to stop the Sentra but it sped away, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. The car came to a stop after a chase lasting about 15 minutes and Rodriguez was taken into custody, he said. A handgun was found in the car, which police say was stolen from one of his victims.

“It’s possible that he was looking to score his next victim so we’re very relieved, very thankful to the citizens of Harris County for calling in, for being diligent and reporting this to us so that we could take action,” Gonzalez said during a news conference.

During a joint conference Monday with Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, Gonzalez had described Rodriguez as a possible serial killer.

Rodriguez is suspected in the shooting death of 62-year-old Pamela Johnson in her Cypress-area home Friday; the killing of 28-year-old Allie Barrow inside a mattress store in Houston on Saturday; and the fatal shooting of a man inside another mattress store in Houston on Monday. Authorities have not identified the third victim.

Rodriguez also is a suspect in the robbery, shooting and wounding of a metro bus driver on Monday and a home invasion robbery on July 9, investigators said.

Gonzalez said there were “strong indications in each crime” that Rodriguez was involved but declined to elaborate. Authorities have not released further details of the crimes, such as the motive behind each act and whether the victims were randomly chosen.

The suspect’s criminal history dates back to at least 1989 when he was charged with a variety of offenses that include attempted aggravated sexual abuse, burglary and auto theft. He spent decades in state prison and while there was convicted of possession of a deadly weapon. He was released on parole in September.

Rodriguez was arrested Tuesday on a parole violation and Gonzalez said additional charges were pending.

Later on Tuesday, David Crane, a sergeant with the HCSO, said Rodriguez had been charged with two capital murder counts relating to the deaths of 62-year-old Pamela Johnson at her Houston-area home Friday and 28-year-old Allie Barrow inside a mattress store Saturday. He said another capital murder count could be filed Wednesday in the death of the man who was killed inside the other mattress store on Monday.

Investigators also said Rodriguez had cut off an ankle monitor several days before the first killing he’s accused of.

Acevedo criticized the tracking of parolee activity in the Houston area and said he would form a task force to study the issue and recommend changes to the Texas Legislature.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released a statement underlining that Rodriguez’s arrest “was the result of great work by the Houston Police Department, along with the Harris Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement partners” and extending “the city's deepest condolences to the victims' survivors.”