Police say the victims were a woman and her boyfriend, and investigators believe the shooting was connected to a former relationship.
HOUSTON, TX — A man was detained Monday after his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend were shot and killed outside a home in Houston’s Near Northside neighborhood, according to police, who are investigating the double homicide as a suspected domestic violence case.
Houston police responded shortly after 8:20 a.m. Oct. 5 to the 900 block of Lindale Street, where officers found a man and woman dead outside a residence. Investigators said information from the victims’ family and evidence gathered during the investigation led them to focus on the woman’s former boyfriend. Police later detained a man they identified as the suspect. Authorities said there was no continuing threat to the public.
The woman was identified by her family as 29-year-old Dariela Cardona. Her relatives described her as a mother of two boys and a hairstylist who had grown up in the neighborhood. ABC13 identified the second victim as Erick Von Gerbitz, the father of Cardona’s younger son. Police said Cardona and Von Gerbitz had recently renewed their relationship.
Investigators believe the shooting happened after the couple had dropped off their young son at a nearby school, according to ABC13. Police said the circumstances pointed to a dispute involving Cardona’s former boyfriend, but authorities had not announced formal charges against the detained man as of early Tuesday. Investigators said charges were expected as the homicide investigation continued.
Police initially searched for a red Ford Fusion seen near the home around the time of the shooting. Investigators received information from members of the public, including information about the vehicle’s license plate, and used automated license plate cameras to track the car. Authorities located and detained the suspect outside Houston later Monday.
Houston police Detective Mark Holbrook said information provided by a member of the public helped investigators identify the vehicle. Police then used license plate camera technology to locate it. Reports differed on whether the suspect was ultimately detained near Dayton or Cleveland, communities northeast of Houston, and police had not publicly clarified that discrepancy by early Tuesday.
Investigators found numerous spent cartridge casings at the scene, according to police accounts reported by the Houston Chronicle. Police classified the incident as a drive-by shooting and found evidence of gunfire in front of the home and along the street. Authorities have not publicly released a complete account of what happened immediately before the shooting.
Cardona’s death left relatives and longtime neighbors mourning a woman they remembered as devoted to her children and her work. Her family said she had been building her career as a hairstylist. The salon where she worked closed Monday as friends, relatives and coworkers gathered to mourn, according to local reports. Cardona’s two sons were not at the home when the shooting occurred.
Houston police Capt. Ryan Watson said during a briefing that investigators were treating the killings as a suspected domestic violence case. Family members had told investigators about an earlier argument involving an ex-boyfriend, police said. Authorities have not publicly released the detained man’s name or a detailed account of the evidence they believe connects him to the killings.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Houston Police Department’s homicide division. As of early Oct. 6, police had detained a suspect and said charges were expected, but authorities had not publicly announced filed charges. Investigators were continuing to gather evidence and determine the circumstances that led to the deaths of Cardona and Von Gerbitz.
Author note: Last updated October 6, 2026.