Teen accused of killing his mother released from hospital in Nebraska, awaits extradition to Texas
Tyler Roenz is charged in his mother's death after initial reports indicate she died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
Tyler Roenz was released from the hospital on Tuesday after leading state troopers on a chase in Nebraska that led to the discovery of his missing mother's body in his trunk, state officials told Eyewitness News.
The 17-year-old from Humble, Texas, is charged with murder and tampering with evidence in his mother's death, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Homicide investigators are working with Nebraska authorities to extradite Tyler to Texas. A timeline is unclear of his return.
According to court documents, Tyler was out on a $10,000 bond after being charged in March with attempted sexual assault that took place in February. He is accused of attacking an 18-year-old girl, causing her to bleed, in his car in a school parking lot.
The victim accused Tyler of ripping her shirt off, kicking and punching her in the face, pulling her hair, and sexually assaulting her in his vehicle.
Humble Independent School District confirmed that Tyler is a former student, where his sister was a valedictorian in 2020.
The series of events began when Tyler and his mother, Michelle Roenz, 49, were reported missing from their home in Humble on Oct. 13.
According to charging documents, Tyler's father told investigators that his wife and son were missing after not being able to contact them.
The father reportedly told deputies his son was allowed to use their 2011 Mazda 3, but only to go certain places.
After noticing the Mazda was also missing, Tyler's father found a human tooth and blood in the garage, documents state.
He reportedly followed a trail of blood into the primary bedroom of the house, where he found at least four additional human teeth in a pool of blood.
Investigators reportedly observed other signs of apparent foul play in the home, though it's unclear what they found.
The father also found his wife's cell phone and purse in the home, according to court documents. He tried to track his son's phone using the Life360 app but discovered his son had deleted the app, and his phone was turned off.
Surveillance video reportedly showed the Mazda 3 leaving the house at 11:44 a.m.
Charges on Michelle's credit card were pinged in Humble, Texas; Richardson, Texas; Atoka, Oklahoma; and Chetopa, Kansas. Documents revealed the car's license plate also pinged on a reader near Dallas.
After speaking to the father, investigators issued a CLEAR Alert for both Michelle and Tyler.
Investigators alerted the Nebraska State Patrol after receiving information that the vehicle was possibly traveling in the state.
Shortly after the alert, investigators said the NSP located the Mazda 3 about two-and-a-half hours west of Omaha, traveling westbound on I-80 near Grand Island.
Troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver fled.
The chase, which reached speeds over 110 miles per hour, ended in a crash, investigators said. The Mazda reportedly attempted to slow down but struck the rear of a semi-truck, left the roadway, and hit a tree in a ditch near Aurora, Nebraska.
Troopers found Tyler behind the wheel of the car. Deputies said he was transported to a nearby hospital in serious condition with non-life threatening injuries.
In the trunk of the crashed car, investigators found Michelle's body. Initial reports indicate she died from strangulation and blunt force trauma, HCSO said.
Michelle's neighbors describe her as a fierce animal advocate, mother, and wife, and was well-regarded.
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