Son arrested in shooting death of parents in Katy, Texas

KATY, Texas - A 20-year-old has been arrested in the fatal shootings of his parents at their home in a gated community in Katy, Texas.

The Fort Bend County sheriff's office said Ryan Walton was arrested around 12:30 p.m. Saturday by an off-duty deputy sheriff during a traffic stop in the Rosenberg area, about 20 miles south of Katy. CBS affiliate KHOU reports the suspect was driving his mother's stolen BMW.

Walton now faces two charges of murder. He is being held without bond in the Fort Bend County Jail.

The bodies of 54-year-old Michael Walton and 52-year-old Lynda Walton were found early Thursday evening at their home, which is valued at $1.4 million.

In a press conference held Saturday afternoon, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said Ryan Walton is cooperating with investigators and answering all their questions, according to KHOU. He said officers did not yet have a motive for the crime. "The only way we are going to get that information is by speaking to Ryan about his role that he played in this," Nehls said.

The sheriff said there had been signs of trouble with Ryan and his family in the past, but did not give specifics. "I believe that the family did have issues with Ryan. The extent of those issues, I am unaware," he said.

KHOU reports Ryan Walton was arrested for marijuana possession in 2011.

Authorities say the suspect, one of the couple's four children, left home three weeks ago but returned. He was last seen Thursday morning in a video taken at the community's gates driving his mother's vehicle.

"A blue BMW vehicle.... We were able to receive surveillance video from the gates leading in and out of that subdivision," said Nehls. "The vehicle was leaving at approximately 9 a.m. that Thursday morning."

Detectives are in the process of getting a warrant to search the BMW in the hopes of finding the murder weapon, the station reports.

Jail records did not list an attorney for the suspect.