APD connects Charles Curry to Monday murder and Wednesday shooting spree
29-year-old Charles Curry was taken into custody by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Wednesday afternoon at the Post South Lamar apartments.
The same place where 32-year-old Christian Meroney was found shot dead on Monday.
We spoke with a young woman who wanted to stay anonymous. "I guess I was just very shocked because I thought this was a safe neighborhood. Now I feel kind of uneasy," she said.
Police believe Curry killed Meroney and went on a shooting spree two days later. The burning question...why?
"Right now the motive is really unknown," said Assistant Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon.
Chacon says after 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon they started getting 9-1-1 calls about someone in a white Tahoe driving and shooting at the same time.
The first injury was a 33-year-old Hispanic woman on the I-35 frontage road.
"She did have a gunshot wound to her head. She was in her vehicle with 3 children. Thank goodness that the bullet wound was not fatal, it was superficial," Chacon said.
Chacon says there were several other gunshot calls. Austin Police say only two were injured.
"So in all 4 shootings there appear to be no signs of provocation on the part of the victims. They appear to be completely random in nature," Chacon said.
After looking at surveillance video from one of the incidents, Chacon says the Tahoe was traced back to Curry. And police tied that back to Monday's murder.
Chacon says he believed Curry used a handgun.
"What we have found out is that ballistics testing has shown that the same weapon was used in both incidents," he said.
Police say whether Curry actually lives at the Post and knew Meroney is part of the investigation.
So who is Charles curry? He at least seems to have an impressive resume in the Texas political arena.
Curry appears to have posted a GoFundMe that attempted to raise money that would go toward lobbying the legislature.
The goal? Relaxing regulations when it comes to treating epileptic children with Cannabis. It only raised $100 of its $500,000 goal.
Curry claims to have worked for political consulting firm Murphy Nasica. Murphy Nasica told FOX 7 Austin Curry was a private contractor who didn't even make it through the trial period. Saying he wasn't a hard worker.
Texas Senator Joan Huffman's office confirms Curry was employed there temporarily for the 85th legislative session. Huffman's Chief of Staff Wroe Jackson tells FOX 7 Austin:
Austin Police say Curry is currently charged with aggravated assault but they say the murder charge is likely on the way.
Murder victim Christian Meroney’s friend, Nadia Fern Capehart, had this to say about him: