Taft police officer found dead in Spring Branch apartment; HPD investigates
Daniel Trujillo, a 36-year-old officer with the Taft Police Department, was found dead in his Spring Branch apartment on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 at around 4:30 p.m. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and Houston Police Department is investigating the death as a homicide. No suspects have been identified.
Earlier story. First reported Oct 26, 2026 at 12:00 am; added to this site Oct 27, 2026. Details may have changed since.
- When it happened
- Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 at around 4:30 p.m.
- Where
- Spring Branch apartment at Wilcrest on the Katy Freeway, Houston
- First reported by an outlet
- Oct 26, 2026 at 12:00 am
- Confirmed by
- 3 independent outlets
Taxes & money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
The facts
- Trujillo joined the Taft Police Department on Oct. 2, 2023.[2]
- Before joining Taft, Trujillo worked as a peace officer with the University of Texas System Police Department from December 2019 to July 2022.[2]
- Trujillo also worked as a telecommunications operator for the University of Texas System Police Department from April 2019 to February 2020.[2]
- Trujillo's law enforcement career began in July 2017 as a jailer with the Harris County Sheriff's Office, where he worked for about one month.[2]
- Trujillo was licensed as a peace officer in December 2019.[2]
- Records show Trujillo owns a house in Houston and was renting the apartment in Spring Branch where he was found.[3]
- The Taft Police Department has five officers listed on its website.[3]
Who said what
- Taft Police Department During his time with the department, Trujillo served the community with dedication and commitment, and his loss is deeply felt by those who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him.[1]
Where sources disagree
Sources
- News Not rated Taft police officer killed in west Harris County apartment FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth · Oct 26, 2026
- News Not rated Taft police officer found dead in Houston apartment; Houston PD investigating KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi · Oct 27, 2026
- News Center Small-town police officer found dead in Spring Branch apartment, HPD says ABC13 Houston · Oct 27, 2026
Also reported by
- FOX 7 Austin Not rated
Written by AI from the sources above, under fixed rules: every fact is cited, claims are kept apart from facts, and dollar figures appear only when a source states them. Mistakes get corrected in public.