A North Houston double shooting killed Dariela Cardona and Erick Von Gerbitz shortly after they dropped their son off at school. Houston police arrested Cardona’s former boyfriend, David Elijah Herrera, and charged him with capital murder.
The shooting happened around 8:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5, outside a home at 905 Lindale Street. The property is in Houston’s Near Northside neighborhood.
Parents Killed After Morning School Drop-Off
Officers found Cardona, 29, and Von Gerbitz, 41, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced both victims dead at the scene, according to the Houston Police Department.
Cardona and Von Gerbitz had taken their young son to a nearby school shortly before 8 a.m. They were returning to the Lindale Street home when the shooting occurred, our TV news partner ABC13 reported.
The timing meant the child was not at the residence during the gunfire. Cardona leaves behind two young sons.
Family members said Cardona and Von Gerbitz had recently renewed their relationship. Von Gerbitz was the father of Cardona’s younger son.
Investigators believe Herrera became angry about the reconciliation. Authorities identified him as Cardona’s former boyfriend and the father of her other child.
Police have described the case as domestic violence. However, investigators have not released a complete account of the events preceding the shooting.
North Houston Double Shooting Captured on Camera
Police said nearby surveillance video recorded a red vehicle leaving after the gunfire. A witness also captured part of the license plate, helping investigators identify the vehicle.
Authorities used license plate-reading cameras to follow the car into Liberty County. Law enforcement officers located Herrera near the Cleveland area and arrested him about two hours after the shooting.
Court records list the arrest time as 10:17 a.m. Herrera reportedly surrendered without resistance.
Officers found firearms inside the vehicle, including one equipped with a drum magazine, according to the report. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether any recovered weapon was used in the shooting.
Suspect Faces Capital Murder Charge
Herrera, 31, was booked into the Harris County Jail. He faces a capital murder charge in the 209th Criminal District Court.
Texas law allows prosecutors to pursue a capital murder charge when someone is accused of killing more than one person during the same criminal act. A criminal charge remains an allegation, and Herrera is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Prosecutors requested that Herrera remain jailed without bond. Court records also indicate that authorities sought restrictions barring contact with the victims’ families if a judge grants bond.
Cardona worked as a hairstylist and was building her business before her death. Relatives and neighbors described her as a hardworking mother devoted to her children.
The deaths have left two boys without their mother and one without either parent. As investigators continue examining the case, Houston residents experiencing threats or domestic violence are encouraged to seek confidential assistance. Anyone facing immediate danger should call 911.