A Texas police officer is facing charges of homicide and femicide in Mexico following a deadly shooting that claimed the lives of two women and a man, and critically injured his former partner, according to prosecutors. Chad Eberle, 35, a former Bexar County deputy constable and Army veteran, was arrested Tuesday in Piedras Negras, Mexico, after allegedly attempting to cross back into Texas with his three-year-old son.
The incident occurred August 4 at a home in Saltillo, the capital of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila. Prosecutors claim the violence erupted during an argument after Eberle was denied permission to take his son amid a contentious custody battle.
Eberle, who currently serves as a reserve officer with the Santa Anna Police Department, allegedly opened fire on four individuals, resulting in the deaths of three and leaving the mother of his child in critical condition. She reportedly survived the attack and is hospitalized.
Following the shooting, Eberle is accused of attempting to flee the country with the toddler. He was apprehended at International Bridge II in Piedras Negras, a border city across from Eagle Pass, Texas.
Coahuila Attorney General Federico Fernández stated that judicial authorities issued an arrest warrant for Eberle after identifying him as responsible for the crimes. The warrant was quickly executed, and Eberle was transferred to the Saltillo Men’s Penitentiary to face a judge.
Femicide, the intentional murder of women or girls because of their sex, is a specific charge in Mexico and several other Latin American countries, though not a standalone criminal offense in the United States. Eberle faces charges of both homicide and femicide.
The three-year-old son has been placed under the care of the Coahuila Attorney General’s Prosecutor's Office for Boys, Girls and the Family (PRONNIF) to ensure his protection. PRONNIF has had custody of the child since the incident began.
Santa Anna Police Chief Ryan Tucker told KSAT Investigates that the allegations against Eberle were unexpected. The department has placed Eberle on unpaid administrative leave and is conducting an internal investigation. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) has been notified, and the Santa Anna Police Department is cooperating with the U.S. consulate in Mexico.
Records indicate Eberle previously served with other law enforcement agencies, including the Bexar County Constable Precinct 2 from 2019 to 2020, as well as the Northside ISD Police Department and Somerset Police Department. His military service is also documented by the Lockney Police Department and TCOLE training records.