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Man shoots dead co-worker as she used to take ‘long breaks’
Travis Merrill, 51, has been charged with murdering coworker Tamhara Collazo, 51, as she used to take ‘long breaks’.
A tragic shooting at Texas resulted in the death of 51-year-old Tamhara Collazo. Travis Merrill, 51, a coworker of Collazo, has been arrested and charged with her murder. According to police, Merrill had become increasingly fixated on Collazo, monitoring her breaks and growing frustrated with what he perceived as unauthorized time off. This obsession allegedly led to Merrill ambushing and fatally shooting Collazo upon her return from lunch.
An arrest warrant affidavit revealed that Merrill admitted to being "obsessed" with Collazo and had begun purchasing firearms in the months leading up to the incident. He also confessed to bringing guns to work on multiple occasions.
Collazo had previously reported Merrill's behavior to human resources, requesting that he stop watching her during breaks. Following this complaint, Merrill was required to attend counseling before returning to work.
Merrill surrendered to authorities, providing detailed accounts of Collazo's breaks and expressing a desire to cause her pain. He told investigators that he brought the guns to work on several occasions but didn’t do anything because it “didn’t feel like the right time.”
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The crime
On the day of the incident, Merrill trailed Collazo to her vehicle during her lunch break and watched as she sat inside. He then retrieved two revolvers from his own vehicle. When Collazo re-entered the building, Merrill followed her to her cubicle, where he suddenly attacked her, firing multiple shots. According to police, Collazo was hit five times in the presence of approximately two dozen colleagues.
He is currently being held in Denton County Jail with a bond set at $10 million.
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Allegiance Trucks has released a statement expressing support for Collazo's family and employees, acknowledging the broader issue of gun violence affecting workplaces across the US The company has closed its Lewisville office indefinitely and is cooperating with law enforcement during the ongoing investigation.
