HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (TCN) — A teen recently pleaded guilty to fatally strangling and beating his mother in 2022 when he was 17 years old and then fleeing the state with her body in the trunk of the car.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced June 28 that 19-year-old Tyler Roenz pleaded guilty to the murder of his mother, 49-year-old Michelle Roenz, as well tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison and must serve at least half of his term before parole eligibility.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office first posted about the defendant and his mother’s disappearance in October 2022. The district attorney’s office said authorities used license plate readers to track Tyler Roenz, and they determined he drove through Oklahoma and Kansas before his arrest in Nebraska.
On Oct. 14, 2022, Nebraska State Police located the Mazda in which the two were believed to be traveling, and a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle eventually crashed near Aurora, Nebraska, after reportedly hitting a semitruck and driving into a tree.
The sheriff’s office identified the driver of the car as missing teen Tyler Roenz, and he was transported to a hospital in critical condition. Authorities found Michelle Roenz deceased in the trunk. A medical examiner in Nebraska later determined she died of blunt force trauma to her head and strangulation.
According to prosecutors, further investigation revealed Tyler Roenz killed his mother at their home on the morning of Oct. 13, 2022, before placing her body in the trunk of the family car and driving north. A family member reported Michelle Roenz and her son missing with the vehicle later that day.
Ogg said, “This is an awful tragedy for this family. It was important that this defendant took responsibility for what he did, and now he will spend decades in prison for his actions.”