FAYETTE COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A Houston man wanted for questioning in connection with a murder died by suicide on Tuesday after an hourslong armed standoff inside a church in Fayette County, according to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said deputies have been investigating the homicide of a 59-year-old California man who was found dead on Oct. 22 in the 2200 block of South State Highway 237.
Authorities were called to the scene at about 7:44 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive man lying in a driveway. Officials said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy conducted by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the preliminary cause of death was a gunshot wound, and the death was ruled a homicide.
During the investigation, detectives identified a 56-year-old Houston man as a person of interest.
Investigators learned on Tuesday that the man was in Houston and planned to travel to a historic church on State Highway 237 near Round Top using a rideshare service.
After dropping the man off at the church, the rideshare driver contacted authorities and reported that he had been held at gunpoint and forced to drive from Houston to the church, according to the sheriff’s office. The driver was not injured and was later released, authorities added.
Deputies said they found the armed man inside the church, prompting a standoff.
Authorities said they negotiated with the man for several hours before the incident ended when he took his own life, officials said.
According to the sheriff’s office, the man’s identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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