Arlington, Texas - A late-night confrontation with an Arlington police officer unraveled into a horrifying child homicide investigation after a man told arresting officers he had just attacked his own sons. Police say the ordeal began just before midnight on September 30, when a vehicle pulled alongside an officer stationed at a gas station in the 1400 block of North Cooper Street. A man got out, approached the patrol car and struck the driver's side window with a knife before the officer could react.
The officer backed away to safety, switched on his emergency lights and ordered the man to drop the weapon. Instead, the suspect climbed back into his car and sped off toward Interstate 30. A chase followed, with Grand Prairie police assisting Arlington officers until the vehicle was finally stopped near Interstate 30 and Northwest 7th Street. The driver, 27-year-old Heyco Cruz Linares, was taken into custody there.
While being arrested, Cruz Linares reportedly admitted to harming his children at their home in the 1600 block of South Cooper Street, an area in central Arlington. Officers rushed to the apartment and found two young boys suffering from stab wounds. Both were rushed to a local hospital, where a 5-year-old later died from his injuries; a 2-year-old brother remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Cruz Linares now faces charges of capital murder, evading arrest and making a terroristic threat against a police officer, with further charges possible as the investigation continues. Authorities have not released a motive, and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to formally identify the deceased child.
