A TDCJ guard was arrested Thursday and accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife. 38-year-old Samuel Vanparys is being held in the Walker County jail on a two million dollar bond. Vanparys is charged with first degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Ellen Buffington.
"I don't think I've ever been to a homicide where a victim was shot this many times before," said Lt. Kevin Lunsford. "It was very brazen with police standing just outside the door."
"Heard about three knocks and heard 'em say Police Department, open up," said Eloy Santistevan, who lives nears Vanparys' apartment.
"He said I can't come to the door right now and immediately began firing bap bap bap bap" said Lunsford.
"I just kept hearing 'em over and over and over again," said Santistevan.
"Literally within 10-15 seconds he had emptied his pistol, shot her 10-15 times, tossed out the gun and surrendered," said Lunsford.
27-year-old Ellen Marie Buffington died minutes later at the hospital. Police said Vanparys admitted planning to kill her because of a Child Protective Services investigation involving the couple's 4-year-old daughter.
Investigators said Vanparys lured Buffington to the apartment under the pretense of discussing child support, then told her his plan.
"That she needed to call her loved ones and tell them goodbye and she did," said Lunsford.
Those calls led police to the apartment, but not in time to stop what police consider to be a deadly plan already in motion.
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