HOUSTON – Charges are pending against a teenager for his alleged role in the death of a man whose body was found in a north Houston motel room bathtub.
Police say 17-year-old Carlos Mercado and the victim drove to the Tropical Motel 4831 North Shepherd and checked into a room. At some point early Tuesday morning, the two got into an altercation that ended with Mercado beating, choking and stabbing the victim, police say.
According to investigators, Mercado left the motel in the victim's vehicle.
Several minutes later, a Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constable stopped the vehicle Mercado was driving for a traffic violation. An officer told Local 2 Mercado tried to turn onto the North Freeway going the wrong way and was in a vehicle matching the description of a car seen checking into the motel overnight.
According to officers, Mercado also had blood on him.
A man staying next door to room 149 told Local 2 he checked into his room at 12:15 a.m. and didn't think anyone was staying in the room where the crime occurred.
"I believe it happened before I got here. When I got here last night, I didn't hear anything. There was nothing going on... no TV, nothing," said Matthew Jasso.
Mercado was detained for questioning and investigators say Mercado later admitted to his role in the victim's death and was taken to jail.
The identity of the 35-year-old victim is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.