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Man Charged After Cops Find Bodies of Six Kids and Two Adults in Texas Home

Police discovered the grisly scene in the Houston area after they arrested 49-year-old David Conley following an hour-long standoff.
Photo by David J. Phillip/AP

Authorities in Texas arrested a 49-year-old man and charged him with three counts of capital murder after six children and two adults were found dead Saturday night inside a home in the Houston area.

Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriffs Office, told Houston's KHOU TV news station that deputies stumbled upon the grisly scene north of Houston while responding to a call for a "welfare check" at around 9pm on Saturday. After repeatedly trying to get somebody to open the door, Gilliland said that the deputies received information that there was a man inside the house who was wanted for aggravated assault on a family member.

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While waiting for the arrival of a High Risk Operations Unit (HROU) — an outfit similar to a SWAT team — the deputies began walking around the perimeter of the house and looking through windows. At that point, Gilliland said one of the deputies saw the dead body of a young child through the window.

A sergeant from the Harris County patrol division and three deputies forced their way into the house. Upon entering, a suspect later identified as David Conley allegedly opened fire on the police officers, forcing the cops to pull back and wait for the HROU and a negotiator to arrive. Conley eventually surrendered and was taken into custody after an hour-long standoff.

Conley's relationship to the victims is not known. All eight victims were reportedly restrained and shot in the head.

Related: Want to Stop Crime? Legalize Drugs, Says Police Organization

BREAKING Court records on suspect, David Conley, in the 8 deaths show lengthy criminal history — Grace White (@GraceWhiteKHOU)August 9, 2015

PIC: Deputies arrest man after they tell us 5 kids, 3 adults found dead in NW Harris County. — Grace White (@GraceWhiteKHOU)August 9, 2015

Alan Cartagena, 19, told the Associated Press that he was attending a barbecue nearby. At around 11pm, Cartegena said the neighborhood was teeming with police. "Cops walking around with their handguns, telling people to remain in their houses," Cartegena said. "They were also telling them to evacuate. It was extremely scary." He recalled hearing one gunshot.

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Another neighbor, Dalila Mercado, also said she heard gunshots after she pulled into her driveway on Saturday night. From her bedroom window, Mercado says she saw a man being escorted out of the house after midnight.

Mercado told the Associated Press that she didn't know the residents of the house very well, but would occasionally greet a woman who lived there in passing, or see children waiting for the school bus. She said she didn't recognize the suspect who was taken into custody.

Conley, who was wearing a t-shirt with the Batman logo when he was arrested, is being held in the Harris County Jail.

Related: Bodies Are Piling Up in Baltimore — But Fears of a US Crime Surge Might Be Overblown

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.