Court documents identify officer Copeland's alleged shooter

HAYS COUNTY, Texas - Legal documents filled in Hays County name the man who police said allegedly shot and killed officer Kenneth Copeland on Monday.

Court documents said 51-year-old Stewart Thomas Mettz was accused by his mother-in-law of assault back in November. According to SMPD Chief Chase Stapp Copeland was serving an arrest warrant for Mettz's arrest on charges of assult causing bodily injury of a family member and injury to an elderly person with bodily injury. 

According to the warrant on Nov. 26. his wife and mother-in-law spoke to a San Marcos Police Detective and said there had been "numerous physical altercations with Mettz being the aggressor."  
 

Mettz wife of seven years told the detective that her mother had been living with them for the past year and half. The mother-in-law said on Nov. 25. she was in Mettz's room when he grabbed her by her shirt and neck and pulled her out of the room leaving scratches on the front of her neck. Mettz's mother-in-law also told the detective that Mettz called her and said,"You had better not file charges or you know what will happen." His mother-in-law indicated to the detective that she took the statement as a threat to kill or harm her. 

On Aug. 30. Mettz's wife informed the detective that Mettz had also assaulted her after a verbal altercation ensued over the couples two dogs.