Associated Press
BROOKSHIRE, Texas — A Texas school district officer suspected of abducting his ex-girlfriend let her go moments before committing suicide Wednesday, authorities said.
According to investigators, Julio Reyes, 38, abducted Rachel Hillsman, 24, in front of her 7-year-old daughter and the couple’s 13-month-old child Tuesday morning in Brookshire, about 35 miles west of Houston. Authorities said Reyes dragged her into his pickup truck and drove away.
Hillsman is also an officer with the Katy school district and was in uniform. She was dropping her children at her mother’s house before going to work, Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith said.
Shortly after Hillsman’s abduction, officials launched a statewide manhunt and established roadblocks in the Brookshire area. They found Reyes on Wednesday afternoon while checking several vacant homes near Hillsman’s house, Smith said.
After officers saw him, Reyes fired one shot at officers, then grabbed Hillsman and pulled her upstairs, Smith said. Troopers did not return fire because they were concerned about hitting Hillsman, he said.
After Hillsman and Reyes were upstairs, police began negotiating with Reyes.
A statement Wednesday night from the Texas Department of Public Safety said Hillsman was freed around 7 p.m. Wednesday.
SWAT members heard a single gunshot as they were taking Hillsman from the house.
“After Hillsman was out of the house, further investigation revealed that Reyes had shot himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and Texas Rangers have begun investigating the crime scene,” the statement said.