Double murder suspect behind bars after 21 years on the run

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- After twenty-one years on the run, the alleged gunman in a Southwest Houston double murder is now behind bars.

Douglas Schwartz and Eric Heidbreder were shot in the head, execution-style, on April 11, 1994 while sitting in a car in the 15700 block of Park Manor. Police said the U-T students were there during a break from school.

Chiron Francis was captured in Venezuela. Authorities will not say exactly how they found him. He was extradited to Fort Bend County last month.

"It just gives me a renewed sense of faith in the justice system and I hope it's carried out in the future," said Douglas Schwartz's father, David.

Schwartz previously offered thousands of dollars toward a reward for information that led to Francis' capture. He says he has thought of his son every day since his death. Previously he told us the fact that the killer was still at large was like a "living hell".

Police had previously said they believed Francis to have fled to the Dominican Republic. According to prior reports, Schwartz knew Francis from a warehouse job where both worked prior to Schwartz going to college.

City of Houston crime victims advocate Andy Kahan calls the arrest and extradition significant, saying, "To me, the most amazing thing is the suspect, the alleged murderer - Chiron Francis - has actually been a fugitive on the run -- longer than these two boys lived."

Kahan notes that this is the second extradition from Venezuela in recent weeks. As we reported June 6th, Neriah Roberts was discovered on the run there. He was wanted for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Tierra Adams, back in 2008.

Francis remains in custody at the Fort Bend County Jail on bonds totaling $1.3 million.