We've learned this was a brutal beating and sources tell us the weapon was a metal foot pedal to a wheelchair.
Crying family members were frantically running into the Lexington Nursing and Rehabilitation facility on the 610 North Loop at Hackett, trying to get answers about loved ones.
Serio Godoy got a call early Wednesday morning, confirming there were two dead. He suspected his grandfather was one of two residents killed late Tuesday night inside his room.
"Paramedics went inside and found two males that were badly injured. One, in fact, had stopped breathing," said HPD Sgt. Ben Williams.
Both victims died at the scene from head trauma. One roommate told police he slept through the incident. The other man, Guillermo Correa, 56, has been charged with capital murder.
Sources say he was seen wandering the halls in his wheelchair, with blood trailing back to his room. According to nursing home employees, Correa did not get along with both roommates and got into an altercation with both. At some point, they say Correa struck both men with the arm rest of his wheelchair.
Grieving family says Correa had psychotic outbursts.
The daughter of a victim said, "One time he was so upset he pulled his own tooth. You know how deep they are. He pulled them by himself."
She is the daughter of Antonio Acosta, 74, who required nursing care.. He was one of the roommates killed. The other victim was Primitivo Lopez, who had polio as a child. Neither man was able to defend himself.
The nursing home was inspected by the state in February. Deficiencies were found and, according to the state, most were corrected. But now a new investigation is underway into how two patients could be murdered in their beds by another resident.
Among the questions the state department of aging and disabilities will attempt to answer are:
- Were necessary precautions taken to protect residents?
- Was staff trained to spot potential problems that could escalate?
- Was there adequate staffing?
The nursing home released a statement saying they are cooperating with authorities and are praying for all families involved.
