A Texas man, Travis Merrill, 51, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his co-worker, Tamhara Collazo, following a disturbing pattern of obsession and workplace grievances. The incident occurred at a trucking company in Lewisville, just outside Dallas.
On October 17, police responded to reports of an active shooter at the office around 11:30 a.m. Upon arrival, they found Merrill on his knees with his hands raised, two revolvers on the floor beside him. According to arrest documents, Merrill confessed to detectives that his fixation on Collazo had spiraled out of control, leading him to plan the fatal shooting.
Merrill reportedly became increasingly angry over what he perceived as Collazo’s “unauthorized long breaks” and her lack of attention towards him. He allegedly stalked her for months, meticulously noting the dates and lengths of her breaks. This culminated in a confrontation, after which Collazo reported Merrill to HR, resulting in his suspension until he sought counseling.
Upon his return to work, Collazo understandably avoided Merrill, which only fueled his anger. Investigators claim that Merrill began purchasing firearms and practicing with them at home, driven by a desire for revenge. The arrest documents indicate that he planned the shooting, believing Collazo had caused him emotional pain.
On the day of the incident, Merrill reportedly monitored Collazo during her lunch break, retrieved his firearms from his car, and ambushed her at her desk. Collazo, 37, had been employed as an accounts receivable specialist at Allegiance Trucks since November 2022.
In the aftermath, Allegiance Trucks expressed their devastation over the shooting, announcing the indefinite closure of their Lewisville office. “We ask for the community’s support, as our company has unfortunately joined the growing national community of workplaces affected by gun violence,” the company stated.
