Kathy Pinna
911 call details violent struggle for Tarrant County couple that left burglar dead
Published on October 16, 2009 by WFAA Staff and WFAA.com (WFAA):
Tarrant County investigators are still trying to understand why Heradio. Ibarra, who did not have a criminal background, targeted Jill and Ronald Huddlestons' home Saturday night in the 9200 block of West Fork Trail near Eagle Mountain Lake. They believe he watched them from afar with binoculars that were found after his death.
Jill and Ronald Huddleston fought off a burglar who entered their home carrying a gun, hatchet and metal pipe for nearly 45 minutes before they were able to call 911. It would be a tense 12 minutes before help arrived.
"Please hurry, we are all bleeding," Ms. Huddleston told a 911 operator, according to a recording released Monday. "We have got the guy down. I have stabbed him several times. Hurry up."
The intruder, later identified as Heradio Ibarra, 44, of Fort Worth, died a short time later as authorities tried to arrest him. Mr. Huddleston, a Fort Worth firefighter, suffered a broken arm. He and his wife were treated for cuts and bruises.
Tarrant County investigators are still trying to understand why Mr. Ibarra, who did not have a criminal background, targeted the Huddlestons' home Saturday night in the 9200 block of West Fork Trail near Eagle Mountain Lake. They believe he watched them from afar with binoculars that were found after his death.
Heradio Ibarra: "We are trying to figure this out, but he is dead," said Terry Grisham, a Tarrant County Sheriff's Department spokesman. "We might never know."
The Huddlestons could not be reached for comment Monday.
According to Tarrant County officials, the incident began around 9:30 p.m. when Mr. Ibarra walked through an unlocked back door armed with a hatchet, gun, a pipe wrapped with tape and some rope. The couple later discovered that the gun was not loaded. Mr. Ibarra demanded money from the couple, who gave him a coin collection and some cash, police said. Ms. Huddleston later told the 911 operator they had just $50 in the house. They also offered their vehicles.
Mr. Ibarra struck Mr. Huddleston several times, breaking his left arm and leaving cuts across his face, police said. It wasn't until the intruder struck Ms. Huddleston, 47, that the couple began to fight back with anything they could grab. The two stabbed and beat Mr. Ibarra with a knife and other objects as the fight moved from one room to the next. After detaining him, Ms. Huddleston was able to call 911.
At two points during the 12-minute call, Ms. Huddleston said, " No, I ain't killing you" in response to muffled words from the intruder. Both Mr. and Ms. Huddleston repeatedly yelled at Mr. Ibarra and asked him why he had targeted their home. "How did you pick us? How?" Ms. Huddleston asked. Finally, as police arrived, Ms. Huddleston broke down in tears. "I don't understand this man," she told the operator. "We don't mess with nobody. We keep to ourselves. I don't know why he picked us. He was going to kill us for $50."
Mr. Ibarra died at the scene.
His wife, Noelia Ibarra, who lives in Mercedes, west of Brownsville, said he had moved to Fort Worth for work. One of his daughters called Fort Worth police Sunday night after the family became concerned because they hadn't heard from him. Family members said they didn't understand why Mr. Ibarra broke into the Huddlestons' home, but they said he had been having financial problems. Mr. Ibarra was born in Mexico, but he became a U.S. citizen a few years ago, Ms. Ibarra said.
Tarrant County officials said they are investigating his death, but they do not expect to file charges against the Huddlestons.
Tarrant County investigators are still trying to understand why Heradio. Ibarra, who did not have a criminal background, targeted Jill and Ronald Huddlestons' home Saturday night in the 9200 block of West Fork Trail near Eagle Mountain Lake. They believe he watched them from afar with binoculars that were found after his death.
Jill and Ronald Huddleston fought off a burglar who entered their home carrying a gun, hatchet and metal pipe for nearly 45 minutes before they were able to call 911. It would be a tense 12 minutes before help arrived.
"Please hurry, we are all bleeding," Ms. Huddleston told a 911 operator, according to a recording released Monday. "We have got the guy down. I have stabbed him several times. Hurry up."
The intruder, later identified as Heradio Ibarra, 44, of Fort Worth, died a short time later as authorities tried to arrest him. Mr. Huddleston, a Fort Worth firefighter, suffered a broken arm. He and his wife were treated for cuts and bruises.
Tarrant County investigators are still trying to understand why Mr. Ibarra, who did not have a criminal background, targeted the Huddlestons' home Saturday night in the 9200 block of West Fork Trail near Eagle Mountain Lake. They believe he watched them from afar with binoculars that were found after his death.
Heradio Ibarra: "We are trying to figure this out, but he is dead," said Terry Grisham, a Tarrant County Sheriff's Department spokesman. "We might never know."
The Huddlestons could not be reached for comment Monday.
According to Tarrant County officials, the incident began around 9:30 p.m. when Mr. Ibarra walked through an unlocked back door armed with a hatchet, gun, a pipe wrapped with tape and some rope. The couple later discovered that the gun was not loaded. Mr. Ibarra demanded money from the couple, who gave him a coin collection and some cash, police said. Ms. Huddleston later told the 911 operator they had just $50 in the house. They also offered their vehicles.
Mr. Ibarra struck Mr. Huddleston several times, breaking his left arm and leaving cuts across his face, police said. It wasn't until the intruder struck Ms. Huddleston, 47, that the couple began to fight back with anything they could grab. The two stabbed and beat Mr. Ibarra with a knife and other objects as the fight moved from one room to the next. After detaining him, Ms. Huddleston was able to call 911.
At two points during the 12-minute call, Ms. Huddleston said, " No, I ain't killing you" in response to muffled words from the intruder. Both Mr. and Ms. Huddleston repeatedly yelled at Mr. Ibarra and asked him why he had targeted their home. "How did you pick us? How?" Ms. Huddleston asked. Finally, as police arrived, Ms. Huddleston broke down in tears. "I don't understand this man," she told the operator. "We don't mess with nobody. We keep to ourselves. I don't know why he picked us. He was going to kill us for $50."
Mr. Ibarra died at the scene.
His wife, Noelia Ibarra, who lives in Mercedes, west of Brownsville, said he had moved to Fort Worth for work. One of his daughters called Fort Worth police Sunday night after the family became concerned because they hadn't heard from him. Family members said they didn't understand why Mr. Ibarra broke into the Huddlestons' home, but they said he had been having financial problems. Mr. Ibarra was born in Mexico, but he became a U.S. citizen a few years ago, Ms. Ibarra said.
Tarrant County officials said they are investigating his death, but they do not expect to file charges against the Huddlestons.
Daniel Pinna 
