David Elijah Herrera is being held without bond after Dariela Cardona and Erick Von Gerbitz were killed outside a north Houston residence.
HOUSTON, Texas — A 31-year-old man has been charged with capital murder after his former girlfriend and her partner were fatally shot outside a north Houston home shortly after dropping a young child off at school, according to police and court information.
Houston police identified the suspect as David Elijah Herrera and the victims as Dariela Elizabeth Cardona, 29, and Erick Von Gerbitz, 41. Officers were called to 905 Lindale Street at about 8:15 a.m. Oct. 5 and found Cardona and Von Gerbitz suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced both dead at the scene. Police said investigators quickly identified Herrera as a suspect, and he was arrested a short time later in Liberty County. He is charged with capital murder in the 209th Criminal District Court.
The killings followed what investigators have described as a domestic relationship involving Cardona and Herrera. Police and local news reports identified Herrera as Cardona’s former boyfriend. Authorities believe he was upset after Cardona recently reconciled with Von Gerbitz, the father of one of her children. That possible motive is part of the investigation and has not been established as a fact in court. Herrera has been charged but has not been convicted.
Cardona and Von Gerbitz had taken their young son to school shortly before the shooting and were returning to the Lindale Street home, ABC13 reported. Police said a nearby camera captured a red vehicle leaving the area after gunfire was heard. Investigators also received information from a witness who obtained part of the vehicle’s license plate, helping authorities narrow their search.
Police used automated license-plate cameras to track the vehicle as it traveled away from Houston. Officers eventually located Herrera in Liberty County, northeast of the city. Houston police said he was taken into custody shortly after the shooting and later booked into the Harris County Jail after detectives consulted with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities have not publicly released a complete reconstruction of what happened immediately before the gunfire.
Relatives told local news organizations that tensions had grown before the killings. Von Gerbitz’s mother said her son told her the night before his death that Herrera had threatened him. His sister also said she reviewed security footage from the home showing Cardona and Von Gerbitz returning after the school drop-off and encountering Herrera. Those accounts have not been established as findings in court, and police have not publicly released the full surveillance recording.
A court order reviewed by Law&Crime said Herrera was accused of shooting Cardona and Von Gerbitz and later admitting responsibility for both deaths. The allegation remains subject to the criminal court process. Police have not publicly detailed all evidence that prosecutors may rely on, and no trial has taken place.
Cardona was a mother of two who worked as a hairstylist in Houston’s Heights area. People who knew her told local reporters she was devoted to her children and had been building her career. A longtime neighbor, Jesus Flores, told ABC13 that Cardona spent much of her time caring for her sons and had been doing well with her hair business. Former coworkers also remembered her as an upbeat presence at the salon where she worked.
Von Gerbitz had recently returned to Houston after spending time in Amarillo, according to accounts from his family. Relatives said he and Cardona had renewed their relationship before their deaths. The couple’s personal history and the allegations involving Herrera are likely to remain part of the prosecution, but prosecutors will have to prove the capital murder charge in court.
A judge ordered Herrera held without bond during an initial court appearance, according to court information reported by FOX 26 Houston. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 5. The capital murder case remains pending, and authorities have not announced a trial date or a final determination of all circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Author note: Last updated October 10, 2026.