Harris County deputies are actively searching for 44-year-old Ronnie Palmer in connection with the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old deputy, Fernando Esqueda, late Wednesday night, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced.
Palmer is also wanted on an aggravated assault charge related to an earlier incident on Wednesday in the 15000 block of Wallisville Road, Gonzalez said. However, Palmer is primarily sought as the suspect in the death of Esqueda, a five-year veteran of the sheriff’s office.
None of us are ever prepared for such an untimely death and our members need your prayers and support. Our thoughts are with his family as they come to terms with this horrible news,” Gonzalez stated in posts on social media platform X.
Wednesday Night Incident
Authorities were called at 10:10 p.m. Wednesday about an alleged aggravated assault at a Little Caesars located at 15634 Wallisville Road. A customer, reportedly upset over a wrong order, attacked the pizzeria’s clerk. The customer verbally assaulted the worker before pistol-whipping them and fLeeing the scene, according to Chief Deputy Mike Lee.
The Little Caesars worker identified the car the attacker used, and officers utilized a Flock camera system to locate an area where the car’s plates frequently appeared.
When authorities first arrived at the pizzeria, they did not find the car. However, Deputy Esqueda circled back to the location and discovered the car was now there.
There was some confusion at that point at what happened as far as the transmissions, whether his radio was having difficulty,” Lee explained. We know he had a phone conversation with one of the other detectives, let him know that he did have the suspect vehicle in sight, didn’t have the suspect in sight, and then during that phone conversation, our deputy, apparently, was ambushed.
Other officers returned to the scene and found Esqueda in his car with multiple gunshot wounds. They immediately transported him to Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Community Support and Investigation
Sheriff Gonzalez urged the community for prayers and support during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with his family as they come to terms with this horrible news,” he said.
Authorities are continuing their search for Ronnie Palmer, who is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about Palmer’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 713-221-6000 or call 911 immediately.
