Travis Merrill, 51, was arrested for the murder of his coworker Tamhara Collazo at an Allegiance Trucks office in Lewisville, Texas. He allegedly shot and killed her at her desk after she returned from a lunch break, and she later died from her injuries. Merrill admitted to being obsessed with Collazo and was angered by the breaks she took at work, which he kept track of meticulously.
After Collazo reported Merrill’s concerning behavior to the company’s human resources department, he was ordered to seek counseling but returned to work. Merrill claimed that Collazo avoided him after the report, which further angered him. He then purchased firearms and intentionally brought them to work on multiple occasions. He even told police that he wanted to cause Collazo pain and had planned to shoot her in front of their colleagues.
Allegiance Trucks expressed devastation over the incident and closed their Lewisville office indefinitely following the shooting. The company is providing support to Collazo’s family and employees who were left unharmed. They are cooperating with law enforcement and asked for the community’s support as they deal with the aftermath of workplace gun violence. The Lewisville Police Department and Allegiance Trucks have been contacted for further information.
The court document revealed that Merrill admitted to being “obsessed” with the victim and was preoccupied with the breaks she took at work. The suspect said that he meticulously kept track of what days Merrill took breaks and how lengthy they were. Merrill claimed that Collazo had caused him pain, and he wanted her to feel pain, so he intentionally planned to shoot her at work with everyone present.
Collazo reported Merrill’s concerning behavior to the company’s human resources department, which resulted in Merrill being required to seek counseling. However, he was allowed to return to work, where he felt Collazo was avoiding him. This led Merrill to purchase firearms and plan the attack on Collazo. Allegiance Trucks expressed devastation over the incident and asked for the community’s support as they navigate the aftermath of the tragedy. Their Lewisville office remains closed indefinitely as they work with law enforcement during the ongoing investigation.
