Jealous ex-boyfriend ambushes mom of 2 and dad in home driveway after couple drops 4-year-old son off at school, police say

A 31-year-old Texas antheral is accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and her fellow successful the driveway of their location soon aft they dropped their 4-year-old lad disconnected astatine school.

David Elijah Herrera was arrested and charged with superior execution successful the slayings of 29-year-old Dariela Elizabeth Cardona and 41-year-old Erick Von Gerbitz, tribunal records show.

According to a news release from the Houston Police Department, officers responded to a reported shooting astatine a residence successful the 900 artifact of Lindale Street astir 8:15 a.m. connected Oct. 5. Upon arriving, archetypal responders recovered a antheral and a pistillate suffering from aggregate gunshot wounds. Emergency aesculapian unit with the Houston Fire Department pronounced some victims dormant astatine the scene.

Police did not item the probe beyond saying they identified Herrera arsenic a fishy and took him into custody "a abbreviated clip aboriginal successful Liberty County."

In a tribunal bid denying bond, a magistrate justice wrote that Herrera "shot and killed his ex-girlfriend and her caller boyfriend," past "confessed to some murders."

Family members told Houston CBS affiliate KHOU that Cardona had ended her narration with Herrera astir a period earlier and precocious reunited with Von Gerbitz, the begetter of her young son. The household said Von Gerbitz had received a menace from Herrera the nighttime earlier the killings.

Blanca Gerbitz, Erick Von Gerbitz's mother, told the presumption that her lad had precocious moved backmost to Houston from Amarillo, hoping to reunite his family. She said she drove him backmost to Houston astir 2 weeks earlier his decease due to the fact that she feared for his safety.

"I told him, 'I've had a atrocious feeling, son, and that's wherefore I brought you home,'" she said.

Blanca Gerbitz said her lad called her Sunday nighttime to archer her that Herrera had threatened to termination him. Von Gerbitz described the couple's effort to get help.

"I called 911 and it's 11:00 and they ne'er came," Von Gerbitz told his mother, according to her account. "It's been 4 hours, and they ne'er came."

Von Gerbitz's sister, Lisa Leal, reportedly reviewed information footage from her brother's location that showed the mates instrumentality to the location aft dropping their lad disconnected astatine schoolhouse to find Herrera waiting. When Von Gerbitz demanded that Herrera leave, Herrera opened occurrence connected the couple, according to Leal.

Investigators are examining the shooting arsenic a home unit killing, and constabulary judge Herrera was upset that Cardona had reconciled with Von Gerbitz, section ABC affiliate KTRK reported.

Investigators besides received accusation from a witnesser who saw a antheral leaving the country and reportedly recorded portion of a licence plate. Police utilized Flock Safety license-plate readers to find the reddish Ford Fusion Herrera was allegedly driving successful Liberty County.

Cardona was the parent of 2 boys and worked arsenic a hairstylist astatine a salon successful Houston's Heights neighborhood. She had worked determination for astir 2 years, according to section Fox affiliate KRIV.

"Her laughter was precise contagious," a erstwhile co-worker told the station.

Jesus Flores, a neighbour who had known Cardona's household for years, remembered however overmuch she did for her sons successful comments to KTRK.

"She loved her sons; she was ever taking them out, from what I remember, you know. Man, she conscionable started her business; she was doing hair, she was doing truly well. Everything she could do, she did it for them," Flores said.

Blanca Gerbitz had a blunt informing for others who mightiness disregard signs of unit from a jilted ex.

"Don't ever underestimate a jealous person," she said, adding, "Never."

Herrera is successful the Harris County Jail without bond, records show. His adjacent tribunal quality is scheduled for Nov. 5.