Authorities said the children, ages 9 and 14, were unharmed and are staying with relatives after the deaths.
BURLESON, Texas — Two school-age children were left without their parents Thursday after police said their father abducted their mother at gunpoint in Burleson, setting off a pursuit that ended with both adults dead near an airport in Cresson.
Police said 34-year-old Bianca Garza had returned to her apartment complex after dropping the couple’s 9-year-old child at school when her estranged husband allegedly forced her into a black SUV. A witness called 911 around 7:45 a.m. to report an armed man taking a woman into the vehicle, according to Burleson police.
Officers later found the SUV, but police said its driver refused to stop. The resulting pursuit continued for about 35 minutes from Burleson toward Cresson, with several agencies assisting. Officers used spike strips during the chase, striking two of the vehicle’s tires, but the SUV continued moving.
The pursuit ended near Bourland Field Airport in Cresson. Police said officers found Garza and her estranged husband dead inside the SUV from apparent gunshot wounds. Investigators said preliminary evidence pointed to a murder-suicide and confirmed that officers did not fire their weapons.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Garza on Thursday night. Authorities had not publicly identified her estranged husband by the latest available update. Garza had recently graduated from nursing school and was the mother of the couple’s two children, ages 9 and 14, according to information provided by her family and police.
Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell said the children were not physically injured and were being cared for by family members. Police acknowledged the effect the deaths had on the children, their relatives, responding officers, emergency communications workers and the surrounding community.
Investigators said the couple had moved to the area in August before separating. Police in Burleson and Mansfield said they were not aware of previous domestic violence calls involving the couple. Authorities cautioned that the absence of earlier police reports does not by itself establish what may have happened privately before Thursday’s events.
The deaths occurred during October, which is recognized nationally as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Police officials noted that domestic violence frequently involves circumstances that may not previously have come to the attention of law enforcement. Investigators have not released a detailed account of what led to the confrontation at the apartment complex.
Law enforcement agencies continued reviewing the reported kidnapping, the pursuit and the deaths. Authorities said the children remained with relatives while investigators worked to complete the case and determine the full sequence of events.
Author note: Last updated October 30, 2026.