The hunt for a man accused of slaying another in Dallas has come to an end after he was tracked and arrested near San Antonio.
Naudy Hernandez Perez, a 25-year-old Venezuelan citizen, was captured on July 12 after fleeing the scene of a fatal shooting on July 9, per a news release from the Medina County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
Perez is believed to have shot and killed 25-year-old Maikal Izaipe outside a home in West Oak Cliff after the men allegedly got into a fight. The fatal shooting occurred in the 4500 block of Silver Springs Circle just after 7 p.m., which is located in Council Member Zarin Gracey’s District 3. Upon arrival, police found Izaipe lying on the ground, and despite efforts by the first responders with Dallas Fire Rescue, he eventually died.
An investigation into the fatal shooting led to an arrest warrant being issued for Perez, who was acquainted with the victim, per Dallas police.
Law enforcement in Medina County received word that Perez might be in the area and looking to flee to Mexico, MCSO reported in a news release. Deputies spotted Perez’s vehicle on Interstate 35 in Devine, roughly 36 miles southwest of San Antonio, and attempted to pull him over.
Perez drove off the highway and into the median before he fled the vehicle and ran into a brushy area, according to MCSO.
Deputies were able to capture him before taking him into custody at the Medina County jail, where he will be held pending his return to Dallas County. He is expected to face both murder and evading arrest charges.
MCSO thanked several agencies for their involvement in the bust, including the Hondo Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Frio County, Border Patrol, Devine Police Department, and the San Antonio Police Department’s Eagle helicopter crew.
Dallas has clocked 110 murder and nonnegligent manslaughter crimes this year as of July 14, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard. Of these, nine occurred in Gracey’s District 3. All but one of the victims were male, and five were black, while four were Hispanic. Their ages ranged from 14 to 53 years old.
The Dallas Police Department has been dealing with an ongoing staff shortage and a low budget compared to other high-crime areas. It is currently operating with a budget of $654 million and a force of 3,000, which is roughly 1,000 short of the staffing levels previously recommended in a City analysis of public safety needs.