A Texas mother confronted her “very sweaty” son when he showed up at her door after allegedly killing a woman with a machete-like weapon.
The unidentified mother told McLennan County sheriff’s deputies she left her home in rural China Spring on Saturday and saw her son, Richard Tanner Ozment, 36, standing outside “very sweaty.” KWTX reports.
She said she tried to walk around her son, but he got in her way, so she eventually pushed him away so she could get past.
That’s when, the woman said, she saw a human foot behind a mobile home on her property. When she got closer, she said, she found a seriously injured woman, who was later identified as 38-year-old Michaela Brooker.
“What have you done?” the mother asked her son, according to court documents, to which he replied: “She (the murder victim) tried to stab me.”
Richard Tanner Ozment, 36, was arrested for allegedly killing a woman with a machete-like weapon on Sept. 21.
The victim was identified as Michaela Brooker, 38, a mother of one.
At that point, police say, the mother ran into her home and Ozment’s father called 911.
China Spring firefighters were first on the scene, where they noticed a man running from the home, KWTX reports.
When sheriff’s deputies arrived later, they cleared the area but were unable to locate Ozment.
Meanwhile, first responders treated Brooker, a mother of one, who was suffering from “serious injuries, primarily to her head,” arrest records show.
She was airlifted to a hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Finally, approximately 10 hours later, mounted officers, along with police dogs, located Ozment hiding in a storage tank near the crime scene.
Authorities say Ozment fled the scene shortly after his parents called 911.
Sheriff’s deputies later found him hiding in a storage tank near the crime scene.
Sheriff Parnell McNamara said at a news conference that Brooker’s death stemmed from a “domestic disturbance,” but he did not elaborate on the exact relationship between the suspect and the victim.
“This is one of the most horrific, brutal and senseless attacks we have seen in a long time,” he shared. “It should never have happened.
“This man, who we believe committed this horrific, brutal murder, was sentenced to 40 years in prison,” he added. “He served approximately 10 years, was released on parole, and then committed this horrific crime.
“He should never have left, but he did.”
The sheriff was referring to Ozment’s arrest at age 25 in 2014 for taking photos outside China Spring Elementary School.
He was charged with failing to register as a sex offender and admitted at the time to participating in several robberies at local churches.
Ozment was sentenced to 40 years in prison, but was released on parole after serving 10 years.
He had previously been arrested and convicted of aggravated sexual assault at the age of 16, and three years later, Ozment was arrested on a felony charge of terroristic threatening.
Ozment has a lengthy criminal record dating back to age 16.
Ozment is now being held in the McLennan County Jail on $1 million bail for murder, but will remain held without bail on a probation violation charge.
Meanwhile, Brooker’s friends are raising money for his family.
The online fundraising campaign describes Brooker as a “beloved mother, daughter and friend.”
“During this incredibly difficult time, we are asking for your support to help cover unexpected expenses and ensure that her family can grieve without worrying about bills, food, gas and support for her son,” it reads.
‘Every donation will go directly to cover these costs, allowing us to focus on celebrating her life and mourning our loss.’
As of Wednesday evening, GoFundMe had raised more than $6,000 for the family.
