Police said a 2-year-old boy survived the attack and was hospitalized as investigators worked to determine what led to the stabbing.
ARLINGTON, TX — A 27-year-old Arlington father is accused of stabbing his two young sons inside their apartment, killing his 5-year-old and injuring his 2-year-old before threatening an officer and leading police on a chase late Wednesday, authorities said.
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones identified the suspect as Heyco Cruz Linares during a Thursday briefing. Police said officers learned about the injured children only after an encounter with Linares near North Cooper Street led to a pursuit into Grand Prairie. Officers then went to an apartment in the 1600 block of South Cooper Street, where they found both boys suffering from stab wounds. The older child later died at a hospital, while the younger boy was hospitalized. Police said Thursday that the 2-year-old was in stable condition.
Police said the encounter began at about 11:50 p.m. Wednesday, when Linares drove up near an Arlington officer who was parked at a gas station in the 1400 block of North Cooper Street. According to Jones, Linares got out of his vehicle, approached the driver’s side of the patrol car and struck the window with a knife. The officer backed the patrol vehicle away to create distance and then attempted to confront Linares.
Jones said the officer activated the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights, got out and repeatedly ordered Linares to drop the knife. Police said Linares instead returned to his vehicle and drove away toward Interstate 30. The officer followed, and the encounter developed into a pursuit that continued east from Arlington into Grand Prairie.
The pursuit ended near Interstate 30 in Grand Prairie, where officers took Linares into custody. Police said Linares made statements during his arrest indicating that he had killed his children at an Arlington apartment. Officers were then sent to the Woodwind Apartments in the 1600 block of South Cooper Street, where they found the two young boys wounded inside a first-floor unit.
Both children were rushed to a hospital. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the 5-year-old as Keiler Cruz-Guerra. He died from his injuries. The 2-year-old remained hospitalized Thursday. Police have not publicly identified the younger child, and authorities have limited the information released about him because of his age.
Linares was booked into the Arlington City Jail. Authorities said he faces a capital murder charge involving a victim younger than 10, along with charges of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and making a terroristic threat against a peace officer. Police said additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues. The charges are allegations, and the case has not been adjudicated.
Investigators had not announced a motive for the attack as of Thursday afternoon. Police also had not publicly detailed what happened inside the apartment before officers arrived or said whether anyone else was there when the children were injured. Detectives continued working to establish the circumstances surrounding the stabbing and the events that preceded Linares’ encounter with the officer.
Jones said the case has also taken an emotional toll on the officers and other first responders who encountered the children. The police department is making peer counselors and chaplains available to personnel involved in the response. The chief said cases involving young children can have a lasting effect on officers, particularly those who have children of similar ages.
The investigation remains active. Linares remained in custody Thursday while detectives continued examining the stabbing, the confrontation with the officer and the subsequent pursuit. Authorities had not announced a court date or publicly identified an attorney representing Linares as of the latest reports.
Author note: Last updated October 1, 2026.