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HOUSTON - Houston police say they've found the body of three murder victims in an empty lot in Northwest Houston, and they haven't ruled out the possibility of finding others at the same location.
They’ve charged a suspect in the case, 28 year old Jamie Walter, with capital murder.
The investigation began Tuesday night with a disturbance call at Antoine and Hempstead Highway. Then things took a dramatic turn.
“They just started talking telling some patrol officer out here that they knew of some bodies,” said Houston Police Department Homicide detective Eric Wohlgemuth. “Then we got involved, and they led us to them.”
Investigators found two bodies in an abandoned lot on Todd street at Antoine Tuesday night. They took Walter into custody at that time for questioning. Wohlgemuth didn’t exactly say Walter confessed to the murders, but he said Walter knew something about them.
“He's told us some stuff that lead us finding the third body out here,” the detective said.
That third body was found Wednesday morning.
Police believe all three victims were men in their 50s living In an abandoned warehouse among a group of homeless individuals, including Walter.
In court documents, investigators allege Walter killed two of the men in April by hitting them in the head with a hammer. They believe the third man was killed in June. All three of the bodies were found burned.
“We’re recovering more evidence at the scene and were still questioning people, getting more information,” Wohlgemuth said. “It's one of the more bizarre ones that I've worked.”
In Walter’s 28 years he’s had several run ins with the law. From 2005 to 2007 there were misdemeanor drug possession and theft charges In Bryan, and in Katy.
His offenses escalated into felonies in 2007 in Harris county, including operation of a sexually oriented business and aggravated assault. According to his arrest records,
Walter was in and out of prison until last year. Now he's accused of murdering three people.
“I'm glad we have the person responsible charged and in jail right now,” Wohlgemuth said.
Police stopped searching the vacant property by midday Wednesday, but they kept an officer on the scene to block entrance to the lot.
They want to protect the scene until detectives determine if they should be looking for the remains of more victims.