Texas Teen admits to killing mom with his bare hands after her body was found stuffed in car trunk
A 19-year-old Texas man, Tyler Roenz, has been sentenced to 40 years in a state correctional facility for the 2022 murder of his mother, Michelle Roenz. Roenz strangled and beat the 49-year-old woman to death, then disposed of her body in the trunk of her car before fleeing.
Harris County District Court Judge Hillary Unger handed down the sentence on Thursday. In addition to pleading guilty to his mother’s murder, Roenz also pleaded guilty to felony tampering with evidence, for which he received a concurrent 20-year sentence.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle and attempted sexual assault. The latter charge stemmed from an incident in February 2022, where Roenz allegedly attacked an 18-year-old girl in his car at their high school parking lot.
"This is an awful tragedy for this family," said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. "It was important that this defendant took responsibility for what he did, and now he will spend decades in prison for his actions."
The investigation began on October 13, 2022, when Tyler Roenz and his mother were reported missing by his father, who discovered a tooth and a trail of blood leading to a large pool of blood and additional teeth in the master bedroom. The family’s black Mazda was also missing.
Authorities tracked Tyler Roenz through license-plate readers and credit card purchases, ultimately locating him in Nebraska. A high-speed chase ensued, ending with Roenz crashing into a tree. He was seriously injured, and his mother’s body was found in the trunk.
The medical examiner ruled Michelle Roenz’s death as homicide due to strangulation and blunt force trauma. Tyler Roenz was detained in Nebraska, extradited to Texas, and must serve at least 20 years before being eligible for parole.
