Polk County arrest: Suspect charged with capital murder in missing man's death
A suspect has been charged with capital murder in the death of a man who was reported missing after a house fire in Polk County last week, authorities say.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says Tyler Williams was charged after an investigation that spanned three counties, involved a SWAT standoff earlier this week, and resulted in the discovery of a body believed to be the remains of the missing man.
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According to Sheriff Byron Lyons, neighbors had reported the man missing after a fire at his home on Dec. 23.
As authorities investigated, they discovered that the missing man’s home had been burglarized before the fire, the sheriff says.
On Thursday, official said Tyler Williams was involved in a SWAT standoff at a home in the Holiday Villages subdivision in San Jacinto County. Authorities said he was believed to be connected to the house fire on Dec. 23.
Authorities say Polk County investigators found a vehicle driven by Williams at the San Jacinto County home around noon, but he refused to come out. SWAT and deputies from San Jacinto County, Polk County and Mongomery County responded to the scene, and authorities say Williams exited his house shortly after 5 p.m.
Records show Williams was then booked into jail on a charge of burglary of habitation.
The investigation into the missing man’s disappearance continued and led deputies to Liberty County. That’s where, Sheriff Lyons says, a body was found in the Horseshoe Lakes Estates subdivision, near the Trinity River.
The sheriff says the body is strongly believed to be that of the missing man, but the medical examiner’s office will confirm his identity.
It’s also unclear when the man died, but the sheriff says investigators believe the man was killed before the burglary and the subsequent house fire.
The sheriff says Williams was then charged with capital murder. Jail records show his bond was set at $1 million for the charge.