Woman arrested nearly 2 years after landlord's bones found in backyard of his Montrose home

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman has been arrested more than two years after her landlord was murdered in Montrose.

Investigators say Pamela Ann Merritt, 43, killed her landlord, 78-year-old Colin Kerdachi.

His skeletal remains were found in the backyard of his Montrose home in December of 2021, months after he was reported missing in February of that year.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Woman believed to be homeless charged with murder of man whose bones were found in 2021, HPD says

Pamela Ann Merritt has been charged in the death of Colin Kerdachi after his skeletal remains were found in a Montrose home in 2021, HPD said.

According to court records, Merrit was arrested last week and booked into the Harris County Jail. She appeared in probable cause court on Saturday, Aug. 19.

A judge set her bond at $250,000.

Documents allege there was a co-actor in Kerdachi's murder, though it's unclear if the man named is also charged.

Merrit was charged with Kerdachi's murder back in May of 2023. She had been wanted ever since. At the time, police said she was believed to be homeless.

Houston police responded to a tri-plex at 605 West Gray Street on Dec. 6, 2021 after a witness and other residents spotted remains in the backyard.

The remains were reportedly found while residents were cleaning and were in an advanced state of decomposition.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Police looking into whether human remains found in Montrose backyard belong to missing homeowner

Investigators say a homeowner went missing from the same home back in March, but the body was too decomposed to tell if the remains are connected.