Surveillance footage, handprints help detectives identify man suspected in fatal Waco shooting

WACO, TX (KWTX) – Waco Police on Monday, April 10, announced the arrest of 29-year-old Charles Earl Ervin in the slaying of 24-year-old Zachary Hughes.

Erwin is charged with murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held in the McLennan County Jail on $705,000 bond.

The U.S. Marshal’s Single Star Fugitive Task Force was able to apprehend the suspect a week after the shooting, which happened around 1 p.m. in the 1800 block of Richter on April 4.

An affidavit obtained by KWTX shows investigators used surveillance video from a neighboring property. The footage reportedly shows Hughes pulling up in front of 1824 Richter Street in a blue Buick sedan. The female victim is also seen exiting the passenger side of the Buick, entering the store and later entering the Buick.

Suddenly, the suspect is seen running northbound from the Daughtry area and approaching a Toyota pickup near the Buick.

“The suspect has a gun in his right hand pointing at the Buick. The man is short and puts his left hand on the side of the Toyota truck to raise himself, jumping over the bed of the truck as he shoots,” the statement said. statement

The suspect, later identified as Ervin, was wearing no gloves when he touched the Toyota while firing a semi-automatic handgun into the passenger side of the Buick, the affidavit said.

Erwin allegedly fled the area while continuing to fire his gun in the direction of the Buick, the document states.

“The suspect is described as a black man with a thin build and wearing a T-shirt. There are no obvious tattoos on the suspect’s left arm, but there are tattoos on the suspect’s right hand,” the statement said.

The document shows that Hughes and his female passenger suffered gunshot wounds. Hughes was later pronounced dead at Baylor Scott and White.

According to investigators, Hughes and Erwin had “an ongoing problem” and it is believed that “Erwin was looking for Hughes to attack him.”

Police said a large palm print found on the truck where Erwin placed his left hand was compared to Erwin’s palm print and found to be a match.

A photo of Erwin held at the McLennan County Jail in 2020 showed that he had no tattoos on his left arm, but had “distinctive tattoos on his right arm.” The photo was found to be consistent with him being seen in surveillance.

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