Officials and friends of Richard Concepcion are investigating whether PTSD may have played a role in Sunday's tragic case that left Concepcion and his former girlfriend dead, and their 18 month old son an orphan, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
It all began about 8AM Sunday when police were called for a 'custody exchange' at a home on Arbor Bluff, which is near Prue Rd. and Culebra on the city's northwest side.
That isn't uncommon to hear on police scanners. But immediately, the call turned into 'shots fired.'
When police arrived, they found a woman shot to death at the front door of the home, and officers were told that 18 month old Aaron Concepcion, who is the son of Richard and the murdered woman, was missing.
A statewide AMBER Alert was issued.
About four hours later, Concepcion was found bleeding from a self inflected gunshot wound to the head inside his Tundra pickup on Highway 123 near Seguin in Guadalupe County. Aaron was found in the back seat of the pickup, unharmed.
Concepcion died of his wound Sunday night.
Concepcion's Facebook page shows a smiling, apparently contented man wearing Army BDUs and displaying his honorable discharge from the U.S. army and a display case holding badges and an American flag. The post is dated Saturday with the word 'done.' It doesn't say when the picture itself was taken, but indicates Concepcion has recently been discharged from the Army.
Army officials confirmed to 1200 WOAI news that Concepcion was a soldier, but declined to provide any more information on his status.
The AMBER Alert indicated that the white Toyota Tundra where Concepcion and the boy were found, and was registered to Concepcion, had 'Bronze Star' license plates, indicating Concepcion was a decorated war veteran.
While officials haven't released the name of the mother, a memorial page identifies her as Sarah Alexis and says she and Conception were married and had three children.
The boy is believed to be in the custody of Child Protective Services after his mother and father died within hours of each other, and officials are still looking for answers.