Post by COG on Jun 7, 2009 5:24:02 GMT -5
Prison Guard Accused of Killing Wife While Police At Door
A TDCJ guard was arrested Thursday and accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife. 38-year-old Samuel Vanparys is being held in the Walker County jail on a two million dollar bond. Vanparys is charged with first degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Ellen Buffington.
Police said the shooting happened Thursday just before noon in the 2400 block of Montgomery Street, in Huntsville.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been to a homicide where a victim was shot this many times before,” said Lt. Kevin Lunsford. “It was very brazen with police standing just outside the door.”
Huntsville Officers were called to University Club Apartments when 911 callers reported a man with a gun. Police said Vanparys was inside his apartment with his estranged wife.
“Heard about three knocks and heard ‘em say Police Department, open up,” said Eloy Santistevan, who lives nears Vanparys’ apartment.
“He said I can’t come to the door right now and immediately began firing bap bap bap bap” said Lunsford.
“I just kept hearing ‘em over and over and over again,” said Santistevan.
“Literally within 10-15 seconds he had emptied his pistol, shot her 10-15 times, tossed out the gun and surrendered,” said Lunsford.
27-year-old Ellen Marie Buffington died minutes later at the hospital. Police said Vanparys admitted planning to kill her because of a Child Protective Services investigation involving the couple’s 4-year-old daughter.
Investigators said Vanparys lured Buffington to the apartment under the pretense of discussing child support, then told her his plan.
“That she needed to call her loved ones and tell them goodbye and she did,” said Lunsford.
Those calls led police to the apartment, but not in time to stop what police consider to be a deadly plan already in motion.
Huntsville Police said they’ve never arrested Vanparys before but said he is the subject of other current investigations. Police would not provide details but said those investigations are family and computer related.
According to investigators, the couple’s 4-year-old daughter was not at the apartment at the time of the shooting and is being cared for by relatives.
source: www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/47111797.html
A TDCJ guard was arrested Thursday and accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife. 38-year-old Samuel Vanparys is being held in the Walker County jail on a two million dollar bond. Vanparys is charged with first degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Ellen Buffington.
Police said the shooting happened Thursday just before noon in the 2400 block of Montgomery Street, in Huntsville.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been to a homicide where a victim was shot this many times before,” said Lt. Kevin Lunsford. “It was very brazen with police standing just outside the door.”
Huntsville Officers were called to University Club Apartments when 911 callers reported a man with a gun. Police said Vanparys was inside his apartment with his estranged wife.
“Heard about three knocks and heard ‘em say Police Department, open up,” said Eloy Santistevan, who lives nears Vanparys’ apartment.
“He said I can’t come to the door right now and immediately began firing bap bap bap bap” said Lunsford.
“I just kept hearing ‘em over and over and over again,” said Santistevan.
“Literally within 10-15 seconds he had emptied his pistol, shot her 10-15 times, tossed out the gun and surrendered,” said Lunsford.
27-year-old Ellen Marie Buffington died minutes later at the hospital. Police said Vanparys admitted planning to kill her because of a Child Protective Services investigation involving the couple’s 4-year-old daughter.
Investigators said Vanparys lured Buffington to the apartment under the pretense of discussing child support, then told her his plan.
“That she needed to call her loved ones and tell them goodbye and she did,” said Lunsford.
Those calls led police to the apartment, but not in time to stop what police consider to be a deadly plan already in motion.
Huntsville Police said they’ve never arrested Vanparys before but said he is the subject of other current investigations. Police would not provide details but said those investigations are family and computer related.
According to investigators, the couple’s 4-year-old daughter was not at the apartment at the time of the shooting and is being cared for by relatives.
source: www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/47111797.html