Teen Confesses to Killing Mother Barehanded; Body Discovered in Car Trunk, Blood and Teeth Found at Home

 

A 19-year-old man from Texas will spend many years in prison for killing his mother. 

Tyler Roenz strangled and beat his 49-year-old mother, Michelle Roenz, to death before hiding her body in the trunk of her car and fleeing the scene.

On Thursday, Harris County District Court Judge Hillary Unger sentenced Tyler to 40 years in a state prison for the 2022 murder of his mother. 

He also pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, receiving an additional 20-year sentence, although both sentences will be served at the same time.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle and attempted sexual assault. 

The sexual assault charge stemmed from an incident in February 2022, where Tyler allegedly attacked an 18-year-old girl in his car at their high school parking lot.

"This is a heartbreaking tragedy for this family," said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. 

"It was crucial that Tyler accepted responsibility for his actions, and now he will spend decades in prison for what he did."

Michelle Roenz

The investigation started on October 13, 2022, when Tyler and his mother were reported missing by Tyler's father. 

The father found a tooth and a trail of blood leading to the master bedroom, where he discovered a large pool of blood and more teeth. 

Michelle Roenz's black Mazda was also missing.

Authorities used license plate readers and credit card purchases in Michelle's name to track Tyler as he drove through Oklahoma and Kansas. 

The car was eventually spotted in Nebraska. 

Texas authorities alerted the Nebraska State Police, who soon found the car and tried to stop it, leading to a high-speed chase.

The chase ended after 9 miles when the car, traveling over 110 mph, rear-ended a semi-truck and crashed into a tree near Aurora, Nebraska. 

Tyler was severely injured and taken to the hospital, where his mother's body was discovered in the trunk. 

Tyler was then detained in Nebraska and later extradited to Texas.

A medical examiner in Nebraska confirmed Michelle Roenz's death was a homicide caused by strangulation and blunt force trauma.

According to the DA’s office, Tyler Roenz must serve at least 20 years of his 40-year sentence before he is eligible for parole.

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