Suspect charged in shooting death of a Houston-area deputy who responded to pizzeria assault

HOUSTON (AP) — A suspect has been charged with killing a Houston-area sheriff’s deputy and assaulting a pizzeria clerk. The Harris County sheriff says Ronald Palmer Jr. was arrested around 7 p.m. Thursday and later charged with capital murder. Deputy Fernando Esqueda, 28, was fatally shot early Thursday morning while searching for a suspect who allegedly pistol-whipped a pizzeria clerk over a mistaken order. Gonzalez says Esqueda was shot multiple times when he located the suspect’s vehicle. Court and jail records do not list an attorney who could speak on Palmer’s behalf.