Missing Texas mother's body was in car involved in chase with son driving, source says
Tyler Roenz, 17, who was reported missing along with his mother , was hospitalized after the pursuit in Aurora, Nebraska.
HUMBLE, Texas -- A Texas teenager who was reported missing, along with his mother, has been confirmed as the driver of a vehicle involved in a chase and crash three states away in Nebraska.
In the latest details, tweeted by Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a female's body was found in the trunk of that car, which authorities have additionally linked to the disappearance of 17-year-old Tyler Roenz's mother.
The latest information posted on Friday does not mention or confirm the fate of Michelle Roenz, who, along with Tyler, were reported missing late Thursday morning in a neighborhood of Humble, Texas. However, sources told Houston's KTRK-TV that the body is that of the 49-year-old mother.
The mother and son's disappearance prompted a CLEAR Alert across Texas, which has since ended in the wake of Tyler's re-emergence.
"The crash occurred near Aurora, Nebraska," the sheriff tweeted. "The male driver has been identified as missing teen Tyler Roenz. Tyler is being treated at a hospital and said to be in serious condition. The body of a deceased female has been discovered in the trunk of the vehicle; the identity of the person remains unknown at this time."
According to Nebraska State Patrol, troopers located the Mazda 3 deputies had been searching for at about 3 p.m., around two-and-a-half hours west of Omaha traveling westbound. A high-speed chase followed. Tyler, who was behind the wheel, crashed and was injured.
"Update: the vehicle has been located in Nebraska," Gonzalez tweeted. "With assistance from Nebraska State Police, a pursuit took place and the driver crashed out. The male driver may have sustained injuries related to the crash, but the extent is unknown. The identity of the driver has not yet been confirmed. Still an active scene."
Gonzalez also mentioned earlier Friday morning that their disappearance was "under suspicious circumstances or came up missing under suspicious circumstances," though he could not specifically describe why.
Sources told KTRK-TV that blood was found in their house.
Michelle Roenz was described as a fierce animal advocate, mother and wife, and was well-regarded, neighbors said.
Tyler was more mysterious. In March, the teen was charged with attempted sexual assault. According to court records, he attacked an 18-year-old girl in his car, ripped off her shirt, and then kicked her in the face. He was not enrolled in Humble ISD, where his sister was a valedictorian in 2020.
The sheriff's office said the mother and son were last seen at about 11:40 a.m. Thursday at their home in the Fall Creek neighborhood in the Humble area.
They were initially reported missing by a family member.
Tyler remained hospitalized and under arrest Friday night in Nebraska with non-life threatening injuries.
