NewsLocal News

Actions

NEW DETAILS: Milam County shooting victim arrested for previously shooting suspect, search continues

MILAM CO STANDOFF SUSPECT.png
Posted
and last updated

UPDATE, 8/27:
The woman shot Tuesday morning has been released from the hospital.

The Milam County Sheriff's Office says 24-year-old Grace Durbin was arrested Tuesday night after she was released from the hospital on an outstanding warrant. The warrant dates back to April when officials say Durbin shot 38-year-old Cody Villareal.

Villareal is accused of shooting Durbin on Tuesday.

Investigators are still looking for Villareal as of Wednesday afternoon.

UPDATE at 5:30 p.m.:
A shooting near Buckholts brought out several law enforcement agencies to search for a suspect, identified as 38-year-old Cody Villareal, according to the Milam County Sheriff's Office.

MCSO says deputies responded just after 11 a.m. Tuesday morning to a call about a gunshot victim in the 1800 block of CR 104 off FM 1915.

The first units on scene found a woman with a gunshot wound, identified as 24-year-old Grace Durbin. She had one gunshot wound and was taken to a nearby hospital. Durbin told deputies that she was shot by her boyfriend, the suspect, Villareal.

As more deputies arrived, a perimeter was made around the property and deputies tried to contact Villareal. Negotiators tried to call out to him multiple times with no success.

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office SWAT team and mobile command unit arrived and started to make a plan to enter the property and search the surrounding buildings. A Williamson County armored vehicle approached the main building and tried to contact anyone who could be inside to search the location but got no response.

Then they punched a hole through the door and sent a drone inside to search the building but didn't find anything.

That's when a nearby property owner alerted deputies that a suspicious person was on top of a large trailer in a field overlooking the suspect's property. All units on scene were diverted to that location and ultimately detained a man who was determined to not be the suspect, Villareal.

"The diversion of important resources extended the timing of this incident and search," MCSO said in a press release.

Deputies went back to the original property and did a more thorough search on foot, in vehicles, and in the air.

But no suspects were found on the property. The location was declared secure by 5 p.m. and units started to clear the scene.

Villareal is still on the loose and warrants are being sought for his arrest on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon-family violence.

Both Villareal and Durbin are known by law enforcement.

Earlier this year in April, Durbin shot Villareal on the same property, MCSO said. Durbin had active warrants on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon-family violence for that shooting.

Villareal is not considered a threat to the public at this time, MCSO said. Anyone with information on where he might be should contact law enforcement.

Milam County Sheriff Clore said he's grateful for the additional agencies that responded to assist in the search for Villareal, including the WCSO, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, Buckholts Police Department, Milam County Emergency Services District 1 paramedics and the Milam County Fire Marshal.

UPDATE at 5:35 p.m.:
The Milam County Sheriff's Office says the scene was opening back up at 5:15 p.m.

ORIGINAL at 12:46 p.m.:
Multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in a standoff along CR 104 south of Buckholts.

Wilam County Judge Bill Whitmire tells 15 ABC that the Williamson County Sheriff's Office is involved as well around a house of some sort.

The Milam County Sherrif's Office says the roadway is shutdown between CR 112 and FM 1915 at this time and to avoid the area.

This is a developing story and will update on air and online as more information is available.