LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — UPDATE 9/7: Todd Wegrich is facing a first-degree murder charge after Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies say he shot and killed his girlfriend inside a home in the Arden community before barricading himself at the Ben Hotel in downtown West Palm Beach on Friday.
Wegrich appeared shackled and with his head down before a judge following his arrest this weekend.
"This defendant is charged with first degree premeditated homicide," the judge said.
Investigators say the case began when Virginia Beach police received a tip about a shooting in Arden and immediately contacted the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. According to PBSO, four separate people told investigators that Wegrich had called or texted friends and family admitting to murdering his girlfriend before fleeing the area.
Deputies responding to the tip found a woman shot to death just past the front door of a home in the community. The victim's name has not been released.
At the same time, West Palm Beach police located Wegrich's car near the Ben Hotel and discovered he was a registered guest there.
"We had several hours of negotiation, he would not surrender himself," West Palm Beach police said.
Police say Wegrich barricaded himself on the 7th floor of the hotel for hours. When officers with a warrant attempted to breach the door, Wegrich opened fire.
No officers were injured. On a second attempt, police used gas to take Wegrich into custody. Deputies say he fully confessed to killing his girlfriend following his arrest.
In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Wegrich faces pending charges for firing at officers.
The arrest affidavit which should be released on Tuesday, is expected to contain additional details about the case.
UPDATE: The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect Saturday morning as Todd Wegrich, 53, of Loxahatchee. Wegrich was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on a First-Degree Murder charge. "Additional charges are forthcoming," according to the sheriff's office.
Wegrich is expected to make his first court appearance Sunday morning.
Original Article:
A man wanted in connection with a shooting barricaded himself inside a room at The Ben Hotel in downtown West Palm Beach on Friday before being taken into custody following a standoff that lasted several hours, police said.
At about 2:49 p.m., West Palm Beach Police Communications received a call from the Virginia Beach Police Department regarding a man who was reportedly involved in a shooting. Virginia Beach police told local authorities the man had fled the scene and barricaded himself inside The Ben Hotel in downtown West Palm Beach.
WATCH:
Around the same time, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a reported shooting in the 1400 block of Tangle Orchid Trace in Loxahatchee where a woman was found dead with apparent gunshot wounds.
West Palm Beach police responded to The Ben and confirmed the suspect was inside a seventh-floor hotel room.
After several hours of unsuccessful negotiations, PBSO obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect.
WATCH: WPTV monitors standoff and talks with neighbors
The West Palm Beach Police Department SWAT team, assisted by the PBSO SWAT team, attempted to serve the warrant by breaching the hotel room door. During the operation, police said the suspect fired multiple rounds.
Officers deployed gas into the room before conducting a second breach and taking the suspect into custody.
No injuries were reported among law enforcement personnel or the suspect, according to police.
The suspect was turned over to PBSO and faces a charge of first-degree murder, while additional charges are pending. He is scheduled to make a first appearance in court Saturday morning.
West Palm Beach police said several units assisted with the response, including patrol officers, the K-9 Unit, Drone Unit, Hostage Negotiation Team, Bomb Squad, Criminal Investigations Division and SWAT team.
"The safety of our residents, visitors, and hotel guests is our top priority," West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo said. "Once officers learned the suspect had barricaded himself inside a seventh-floor room, they quickly secured and contained the area to protect everyone involved."
Araujo also thanked The Ben Hotel staff and guests for their cooperation during the incident, as well as residents, visitors and motorists affected by temporary road closures and traffic rerouting.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
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