Police: Boyfriend killed Sharyland teacher

PHARR - McAllen police raided two homes here Wednesday, looking for the man they said shot to death a Sharyland junior high teacher.

Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Daniel Gilberto Perez, the suspected boyfriend of Summer Meland, a 28-year-old teacher and mother of three who was found dead in her McAllen home Saturday morning, McAllen police Chief Victor Rodriguez said.

"There's a series of things that led us to believe ... that Perez murdered Summer," Rodriguez said Wednesday night while officers investigated the area around two homes on the 2700 block of North Cypress Street in Pharr.

"We reached a point today where we believe we have sufficient probable cause to arrest him," the chief said.

But Perez, 32, was not at his residence at 2701 N. Cypress St. in Pharr when officers arrived there Wednesday afternoon clad in bulletproof vests and with their weapons drawn. Police also raided an adjacent house that may belong to relatives of the man.

"At this point he's run from us," Rodriguez said.

A housekeeper found Meland's body Saturday morning inside the teacher's home at 304 Yucca Ave. on the north side of McAllen.

Meland's 3-month-old son was in the home at the time of the discovery, police said. Officers have not indicated why they believe the B.L. Gray Junior High School teacher was shot to death.

Police describe Perez as a Hispanic with black hair and brown eyes, about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 135 pounds.

A number of his neighbors watched from afar Wednesday evening as armed officers questioned area residents and looked for evidence.

Several pit bulls barked from a balcony at Perez's home as officers searched the two residences with their firearms at the ready.

One neighbor said he grew up with Perez and couldn't fathom the possibility of him murdering anyone. Another who lived within earshot of the houses said she had seen police cars at the two homes before.

As police continued to search for Perez and any new evidence in the case Wednesday night, Rodriguez said his investigators would not give up hope of finding their suspect.

"So, we move forward," he said.

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