As his grandparents lay slain inside the home, a Texas murder suspect “calmly” lit up a marijuana cigarette in front of cops, opened a soda can, and said nothing about the couple being dead, according to Austin police.
But officers say in a press statement and an arrest affidavit that family members had been trying to get in touch with the victims, Shari Mallory-Maxa, 74, and Anthony Maxa, 76, to no avail. One of them told police in a 911 call that Monaghan claimed the couple were inside the home feuding.
“They got into a big fight,” the defendant allegedly said. “They’re in their room stewing mad at each other; you don’t want to see it.”
Relatives got suspicious, however, hence officers receiving at least two 911 calls after noon on Saturday, Sept. 21. They asked for a welfare check, and voiced concern because Monaghan refused to open the door to let them see the couple, police wrote.
One caller said that 911 had been recently called on Monaghan for “being ‘unstable.”” Police added that this caller was worried the suspect had hurt the couple. The caller also noted that Monaghan “did have a gun in the past that he shot it off.”
