HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — New video ONLY ON 13 shows the moment a man accused of ambushing a 28-year-old sheriff’s deputy surrenders to fugitive task force officers in northeast Harris County.
On Thursday evening, authorities took 44-year-old Ronald “Ronnie” Palmer into custody in connection with an alleged assault at a Little Caesars store the night before. Palmer was previously a person of interest in Deputy Fernando Esqueda’s death when the Harris County Sheriff’s Office employee was following up on the assault case.
In the video submitted by an ABC13 viewer, Palmer is seen with his arms and hands spread to his side as he walks out of a home on Ghita Lane off C.E. King Parkway. Armed, uniformed officers are in view, taking cover behind vehicles as Palmer walks toward the street. HCSO said officers took him into custody without incident.
The home where Palmer surrendered was described as belonging to an acquaintance of acquaintance. Deputies believe he had only been there about two hours and had been moving around ever since the shooting.
You’ll be able to see the new video on Eyewitness News at 4 p.m. on ABC13.
The video airs amid legal developments in the case. On Friday, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said prosecutors filed a capital murder of a police officer charge against Palmer in addition to an aggravated assault count.
Also on Friday, Palmer waived an initial appearance in probable cause court, where a prosecutor and judge read off charging information.
According to the court, an angry Palmer made threats against two employees at a Wallisville Road Little Caesars about a wrong order. Palmer allegedly hit the manager with a gun.
The court said Esqueda followed up on a license plate reading from the case, leading him to the 13200 block of Italian Cypress Trail, where he waited for additional deputies but was shot to death. Records state two witnesses placed Palmer at the scene.
In addition, the judge revealed a second person may have been with Palmer at the Little Caesars store but didn’t elaborate on the individual.
A judge set bond at $100,000 for the aggravated assault counts only. The court referred the capital murder case to the 248th District Court, where Palmer is slated for an appearance on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office disclosed information about the deputy’s procession from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science to Memorial Oaks Funeral Home off Katy Freeway.
The procession is scheduled for 7 a.m. on Monday. Memorial information could be announced over the weekend.
For more on this story, follow Mycah Hatfield on Facebook, X and Instagram.
PREVIOUS STORY: Suspect charged with capital murder in killing of Harris Co. deputy
Ronnie Palmer, a person of interest in the shooting of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Fernando Esqueda, was arrested.
Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.