Police say a 2-year-old boy survived the attack and was stable as detectives continued investigating what led to the violence.
ARLINGTON, Texas — A 27-year-old Arlington man faces a capital murder charge after police said his two young sons were attacked inside an apartment Wednesday night, killing a 5-year-old boy and leaving his 2-year-old brother hospitalized.
Arlington police identified the suspect as Heyco Cruz Linares. Authorities said the older child, later identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office as Keiler Cruz-Guerra, died after being taken to a hospital. Police said the younger boy remained hospitalized in stable condition. Investigators had not announced a motive as of Friday, and police said additional charges could result from the continuing investigation.
The case began shortly before midnight Sept. 30, when police said a car pulled alongside an Arlington officer who was parked at a gas station in the 1400 block of North Cooper Street. Cruz Linares got out of the vehicle, approached the driver’s side of the patrol car and struck the window with a knife, according to police. The officer backed away, activated his emergency lights and ordered Cruz Linares to drop the weapon.
Police said Cruz Linares instead returned to his vehicle and drove away toward Interstate 30. The officer attempted to stop him, beginning a pursuit that continued into Grand Prairie with help from the Grand Prairie Police Department. The vehicle eventually stopped along I-30 near Northwest Seventh Street, where officers took Cruz Linares into custody.
During the arrest, Cruz Linares made statements indicating that his children had been killed at an apartment in Arlington, police said. Officers determined the location was in the 1600 block of South Cooper Street and immediately sent other officers there. Inside the apartment, they found two young boys with injuries consistent with a knife attack.
Both children were rushed to an area hospital. The 5-year-old later died. Police initially described the 2-year-old as severely injured but said he was stable. Authorities have not publicly identified the younger child, and details about his treatment have not been released.
Cruz Linares was booked into the Arlington City Jail on charges of capital murder of a person younger than 10, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and making a terroristic threat against a peace officer. Arlington jail records listed no bail amount on the three charges Friday. The charges are allegations, and the case has not been adjudicated.
Investigators have not publicly explained what happened inside the apartment before police arrived or what may have led to the attack. Police also have not announced whether they believe anyone else was present when the children were injured. Authorities have said the investigation remains active and that additional charges are possible depending on its findings.
The case moved rapidly from what began as an encounter between an armed man and a patrol officer to a homicide investigation involving two young children. Police said the information Cruz Linares provided during his arrest led officers to the apartment, where the children were found and taken for emergency medical care.
As of Friday, Cruz Linares remained listed in Arlington jail records while detectives continued investigating the children’s injuries, the encounter with the officer and the subsequent pursuit. Police said the motive remained unknown, and no further update on the surviving child’s condition had been announced beyond his stable status.
Author note: Last updated October 2, 2026.