Man wanted his female co-worker to “feel pain” because she began avoiding him, so he followed her as she was returning from a lunch break before shooting her to death; charged

Texas – In a chilling incident in Texas, a workplace disagreement escalated into a deadly shooting, leaving one employee dead and a community grappling with the aftermath of gun violence. A 51-year-old man, identified as T. Merrill, faces charges of first-degree murder after killing his female co-worker, T. Collazo, in a brutal attack that has shaken their colleagues and the broader Texas area.
The tragedy unfolded on October 17, when police were called to the offices of the company following reports of an active shooter. The incident occurred in an office building that shared a parking lot with the local police department’s temporary facility, which perhaps contributed to the swift response of the first responders.
Upon arrival, officers found Merrill with his hands raised, immediately confessing to the shooting. Nearby, under a desk in her cubicle, lay Collazo, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite rapid medical attention, Collazo was pronounced dead at the hospital due to the severity of her injuries.
During the investigation, Merrill provided a disturbing rationale for his actions. According to the police affidavit, Merrill had developed an unhealthy fixation with Collazo, aggravated by what he perceived as her taking excessively long breaks and ignoring him. This obsession had grown over months, leading Collazo to report Merrill’s behavior to their management. This resulted in his suspension and a mandated counseling session before he could return to work.
Despite these interventions, Merrill’s return to work did not go smoothly. He felt ostracized, believing his colleagues viewed him as a psychopath, which only deepened his resentment and anger towards Collazo. Merrill told investigators that Collazo began avoiding him, which further exacerbated his anger. According to his statement to the police, his frustration turned into a vengeful plan: he wanted Collazo to experience the pain he felt she had caused him.
Merrill detailed to detectives his meticulous preparation for the attack. He practiced handling the weapons at home, ensuring his readiness to carry out the assault. On the day of the murder, he followed Collazo to her car during her lunch break, then armed himself and waited for her return. Once she was back at her desk, he ambushed her, unleashing a fatal barrage of bullets.
In response to the tragedy, the company issued a statement expressing their condolences and support for the victim’s family and their employees. They have temporarily closed the office and are cooperating with law enforcement to better understand the events leading up to the incident.
Merrill is currently held in jail with a bond set at $10 million. As the legal process unfolds, the case continues to draw attention to issues of workplace safety, mental health, and the measures necessary to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This horrific event underscores the importance of addressing all forms of workplace harassment and ensuring robust support systems for employees dealing with interpersonal conflicts. As the community and the families involved seek justice and healing, the reverberations of this tragedy will undoubtedly lead to calls for stricter security measures and more proactive mental health interventions in workplaces across the country.