Man crashes truck into home, fatally shoots wife and mother-in-law, sheriff says

Inset: Stanley Hardin (Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office). Background: A pickup truck allegedly crashed into a house in Conroe, Texas (Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office).

A Texas man is in custody after allegedly crashing his truck into a home and then shooting and killing his estranged wife and mother-in-law, according to authorities in Texas.

Stanley Earl Hardin, 57, faces two counts of capital murder, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident happened Monday afternoon on Shoreview Drive in Conroe, about 40 miles north of Houston. Authorities said the victims were 50-year-old Tara Hardin, his wife, and 80-year-old Floris Wolford, her mother.

Around 2 p.m., the suspect’s estranged wife called 911, telling dispatchers that her husband had crashed his vehicle into her home and was trying to get inside, said Wesley Doolittle during a press conference.

Moments later, gunshots were reported. Investigators said Hardin entered the residence and fired multiple rounds, killing both women. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Footage from the aftermath showed a black GMC Sierra lodged into the front of the house, damaging siding, insulation, and a large window.

After the shooting, Hardin fled on foot to his son’s house and asked for a ride to his own residence about five miles away, according to authorities.

He later surrendered without incident at a home on Ivy Lane. Law enforcement, including SWAT officers, had set up a perimeter due to concerns he might engage in further violence.

“They had set up a perimeter anticipating that it might be worse than what they had believed,” Doolittle said. “There was information that he would shoot it out with law enforcement. It’s my belief that he spoke to a family member and then surrendered to deputies.”

Investigators believe the couple had recently separated, with the wife staying at her mother’s home. Neighbors said the separation appeared recent and that the couple had been seen together as recently as last week.

“When there is high emotion, people are ending relationships and such, I would tell folks to contact the Montgomery County women’s shelter if they believe they are in danger,” Doolittle said.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Hardin is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond. Authorities identified him as a military veteran.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences to the victims’ family and said it is committed to seeking justice in the case.