A Texas murder suspect reportedly displayed a chilling demeanor as he casually lit a marijuana cigarette in front of officers, opened a soda can, and made no mention of his grandparents being dead inside the home, according to Austin police.
According to a press statement and an arrest affidavit from the officers, family members have been attempting to reach out to the victims, Shari Mallory-Maxa, 74, and Anthony Maxa, 76, without success. A caller informed the authorities during a 911 call that Monaghan asserted the couple was having a dispute inside the residence.
“They got into a big fight,” the defendant allegedly said. “They’re in their room stewing mad at each other; you don’t want to see it.”
Family members grew concerned, leading to officers responding to at least two 911 calls after noon on Saturday, Sept. 21. Authorities requested a welfare check, expressing worry as Monaghan declined to open the door for them to check on the couple, according to police reports.
A caller reported that emergency services had recently been contacted regarding Monaghan’s “unstable” behavior. The authorities noted that the individual who reached out was concerned that the suspect may have harmed the couple. The caller mentioned that Monaghan previously possessed a firearm and had discharged it.
Officers engaged with multiple family members, who reported that they had been attempting to reach the couple throughout the morning. They noted that Monaghan was seen removing items from the house and loading them into his grandmother’s car.
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As law enforcement neared the residence, the individual emerged from the garage.
“Monaghan was nonchalant with officers,” police wrote. “He calmly sat down, lit a marijuana cigarette, and opened a soda can. As the officers inquired about the whereabouts of Monaghan’s grandparents, he acknowledged they were inside the residence but did not say anything about them being deceased.”
He reportedly claimed that his grandfather had thrown him out.
An officer discovered the couple lifeless in a hallway, suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds. Authorities later concluded that Shari Mallory-Maxa sustained three gunshot wounds, while Anthony Maxa suffered six gunshot wounds. Additionally, authorities noted that the path of certain gunshots directed at the victims was “at a steep downward angle,” suggesting that the shooter was positioned above them. The affidavit revealed that stippling around the gunshot wound on the grandfather’s face suggested the gun was fired from a distance of less than three feet.
An officer discovered pistol ammunition in Monaghan’s pockets, along with a lengthy string of pearls tucked in his back pocket and prescription bottles containing the allergy and cold medication promethazine, which had been prescribed to his grandmother.
“The dresser drawers were thrown to the floor, and empty jewelry boxes were on the floor and the bed,” they wrote.
Officers reported discovering a .380 caliber handgun along with multiple rounds of ammunition in Monaghan’s bedroom.
Authorities discovered a significant quantity of women’s jewelry contained within the vehicle.
“In the garage of the residence, where Monaghan had indicated to Officer Richer all of his property had been staged, Detective Jones located several more bags containing jewelry, blank checks belonging to the victims, and additional small caliber ammunition,” police wrote.
Monaghan faces serious charges of capital murder and is currently detained in the Travis County Jail.