Former Texas Deputy Arrested for Killing Ex-Wife, Teen Daughter and Girl's Boyfriend

A former Texas sheriff's deputy has been arrested and charged for killing three people, including his ex-wife and teen daughter, in a shooting in Austin on Sunday afternoon.

The suspect was 41-year-old Stephen Broderick, who was taken into custody early Monday in Manor, some 15 miles north of Austin.

Broderick was found before sunrise, walking down a rural road with a loaded gun in his waistband, according to a People report. Police said authorities received two 911 calls about a man walking along the road prior to the suspect's arrest.

Crime Online reported that the victims were identified as Amanda Broderick, 34; Alyssa Marie Broderick, 17; and the teen's boyfriend, Willie Simmons III, 18.

Police said the bodies were found near two vehicles involved in a crash at the apartment complex where the Brodericks were meeting for a scheduled visit with their son, who was not harmed.

Stephen Broderick was being held at the Travis County jail without bail on capital murder charges. Austin police have yet to publicly announce what could be the possible motive behind the shooting.

The Shooting Incident

A manhunt was earlier done across the state for Stephen Broderick after killing three people. The deadly shooting was one of the latest shootings that rocked the nation.

Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon described the shooting that happened on Sunday as "domestic violence." Chacon noted that the shootings were not random, adding that Broderick knew the victims, USA Today reported.

"We are heartbroken by the news of this senseless tragedy, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families," the Elgin school district said in a statement.

The school district noted that Alyssa Broderick was a student in the district from 2009 to October 2020, and Willie Simmons was a senior at Elgin High School.

Criminal Record

Stephen Broderick reportedly resigned from the Travis County Sheriff's Office last year after being arrested and charged with a sexual assault of a child. Records showed that he spent more than two weeks in jail before posting bail in June.

Court and public records showed that Broderick's wife had filed for a divorce and a protective order shortly after her husband was arrested. His wife feared for her safety and their children. A protective order was then issued on behalf of her and two children.

The order also directed the suspect to surrender all his firearms and wear a GPS tracking device. Broderick had visitation rights to the couple's son for one weekend in a month.

Amanda Broderick said that his husband has prior military experience and is SWAT-trained. She noted that if he wanted to hurt someone, he would know how.

A Travis County judge agreed to order the removal of the device last November after Broderick's lawyer argued that his client had worn the device for 142 days without any substantial violations.

"I'm truly heartbroken that a former Travis County Sheriff's Office Deputy is the suspect in such a horrific incident," Sheriff Sally Hernandez said in a report.

Last week, a mass shooting in the FedEx Indianapolis facility had killed eight people. The shooter had killed himself at the scene.

WATCH: Stephen Broderick's Arrest and Protective Order History - From KVUE