SUGAR LAND, Texas – A man who shot and killed his girlfriend Sunday night in front of a police officer, later setting her home on fire, has been found dead, according to the Sugar Land Police Department.
The tragedy unfolded at a home in the 4100 block of Issacks Way around 11 p.m.
According to Sugar Land PD, an officer arrived at the scene and said he witnessed a man and woman leave the home. The boyfriend, who was assaulting the woman, then pulled out a gun and shot her, Sugar Land Communications Director Doug Adolph said. He then fired at an officer and the officer returned fire, according to Adolph. Investigators said they aren’t sure if the suspect, identified as Alton Sandles, 38, was hit by the gunfire.
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Authorities said the woman, identified as 42-year-old Lantonia Faulk, was transported to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Sandles took off but somehow came back to the home without the police seeing him and set a fire, officials said.
A perimeter was set up around the home and police stayed a distance away due to the threat of the suspect possibly being in the house or area, investigators said.
Officers said once they eventually made it into the home, they found Sandles dead. Right now, investigators said it is unclear how he died. The fire caused the roof of the home to cave in and fall.
Police said Faulk’s 15-year-old son was in the home at the time of the incident and is OK. The teen is now with his dad.
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According to investigators, the couple went out together the night before the incident happened. Residents were urged to stay inside their homes as a safety precaution.
“This should never happen,” one neighbor told KPRC 2 reporter Rilwan Balogun. “I mean, I’ve got a 13-year-old boy. I explained to him on the way to school this morning, this is the kind of thing that should never happen. If you’re mad at somebody, just walk away. Violence is never the answer, never gonna be.”
The family of Faulk spoke with KPRC 2 Investigates on Monday.
“It’s all like a movie. We can’t grasp it. We are just trying to wake up from a dream. We can’t believe it,” said Faulk’s niece Demesha Robertson.
The family acknowledged past issues in the relationship and admitted they attempted to get Faulk to walk away.
“We tried, and tried and tried to talk to her to get her to leave to just let him be. But she just wanted to stay with him. She loved him. I mean, there is so only much we can do,” said Robertson.
Texas Rangers joined the investigation due to the officer-involved shooting, authorities said.