71-year-old allegedly tied with lamp cord during robbery in Merkel

ABILENE, Texas ( KTAB/KRBC ) – A Houston man has been accused of robbing a 71-year-old man in his home in Merkel.

In September 2023, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a stolen vehicle in Merkel. The victim stated that he heard a knock at his door. When he opened the door, he saw two individuals dressed in all black and wearing ski masks.

The victim said that he was shoved to the ground and grabbed a lamp to defend himself. The two individuals took the lamp and then allegedly held a knife to his neck. One person said, “You are getting robbed,” then cut the cord from the lamp, using it to bind the victims’ legs.

The victim reported hearing Jose Hernandez’s voice and stated that $2,000, U.S. residency documentation, and his truck were stolen.

Two days later, an officer from the Houston Police Department called the sheriff’s department after spotting the stolen vehicle. The officer conducted a traffic stop, and after approximately an hour of foot pursuit, Hernandez was apprehended. He confessed to taking the vehicle without permission.

Hernandez was charged with Aggravated Robbery and was taken into custody at the Taylor County Jail on a bond of $75,000.

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