Suspect charged with capital murder of Mesquite police officer
MESQUITE, Texas - The man accused of fatally shooting a police officer in Mesquite is now facing a capital murder charge.
Mesquite police identified the suspect as 37-year-old Jamie Jaramillo of Balch Springs.
He’s accused of killing Sgt. Richard Houston on Friday afternoon outside a busy grocery store. The officer was responding to a disturbance call. Police have not clarified what the disturbance was but told FOX 4 there was an "exchange of gunfire" between Houston and Jaramillo.
RELATED: Mesquite officer dies after being shot outside grocery store
Jaramillo was shot, but it’s unclear if one of the officer’s bullets hit him or if he shot himself.
His photo has not yet been released, and he has not been booked into jail because he is still hospitalized. Jaramillo appears to have no previous criminal record.
Police also revealed Monday, his wife, Juventina Vazques Bences, 43, was arrested Saturday and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. That charge, however is related to the initial disturbance call — not the murder of Houston.
Jail records show Vazques Bences is an illegal immigrant and an immigrations and customs enforcement hold has been placed on her.
RELATED: Police identify Mesquite officer fatally shot outside grocery store
Houston was a 21-year-veteran with the Mesquite Police Department. He leaves behind a wife and three children.
Citizens continued to salute the fallen officer on Monday.
"We’ve received a tremendous amount of support from the community via social media, via email, via coming up to our station. Offering to do anything they can for us, via bringing drinks, food, financial contributions to the family," said Ofc. Bruce Sales, Mesquite Police Association, President.
The Mesquite Police Association, through its charitable organization, has been accepting donations for the family.
The association also created flyers that have a QR code for contributions to the family and they will be placed in businesses that request one.
"100% of that money is going to go directly to the Houston’s family," Sales said.
Quincy Chambers, 21, says he received his first job offer in law enforcement on Monday. He said he owes it to Houston, who mentored him since age 15 as part of a police explorer program.
"Houston wasn’t one of the bad guys. He was one of the good guys," Chambers said.