Dallas homeowner shot ‘into the night,’ killing man, then went to bed, warrant says
A 72-year-old homeowner faces a murder charge after Dallas police say he fatally shot a burglary suspect in the early morning hours last week and then went back to sleep before he called authorities.
The homeowner told Dallas police he fired at the suspect, who had a pickax, when the man took several steps toward him in his backyard on Thursday morning in the 5400 block of Philip Ave. in Dallas.
The suspect, who has not been identified, dropped the pickax and ran to a park, the homeowner told police
James Michael Meyer told Dallas detectives he fired an additional shot “into the night” in the direction of the park and went back to sleep, according to an arrest warrant released Monday by the Dallas Police Department on its blog.
A few hours later, Meyer looked outside and saw what he thought was a black bag in the park, Dallas police said. Meyer walked over and took a closer look, noticing an unknown man lying face down in the park.
Meyer was arrested Thursday. He posted a $150,000 bond and was released on Friday from the Dallas County Jail.
The warrant gave this account of the incident:
Meyer said he was awakened about 5 a.m. on Thursday by a noise outside of his home. Meyer loaded a handgun, went outside and yelled at a suspect who was attempting to break into a backyard shed.
The suspected burglar was holding a pickax, Meyer told Dallas police, and he ordered the man not to come any closer or he would shoot. The warrant did not indicate that investigators had found the ax.
Meyer fired once at the man, then fired again in the direction of the park, according to the warrant.
Neighbors later told Dallas police they heard three gunshots about 5:15 a.m. on Thursday in the neighborhood.
Meyer said he believed the threat was over and he wasn’t aware that he had wounded the man, so he went back to bed, according to the warrant.
Shortly after 7 a.m. on Thursday, Meyer found the body of the man in the park. He told Dallas detectives he asked his wife to contact an attorney before he called 911.
During the 911 call, Meyer refused to answer a dispatcher’s questions, repeatedly stating he was a victim of a crime and that medical assistance was needed.
Dallas fire paramedics found the man’s body behind Meyer’s home in the park. Members of Dallas Fire Rescue noted the man had dried blood on him and he had been dead for several hours.
A team of Dallas crime scene analysts arrived at the scene, but they were unable to find any shell casings. Meyer told them he had thrown the spent shell casings in the trash, according to the warrant.
