Tragic Workplace Conflict: Man Kills Colleague After HR Intervention Over Breaks

Merrill, Collazo's coworker at Allegiance Trucks, allegedly followed her about the office, obsessing over her breaks and growing enraged over her apparent avoidance

Authorities in Texas, United States, have linked a brutal workplace shooting that claimed the life of a 51-year-old lady to the suspect's compulsive obsession and annoyance about her "unauthorised breaks." Travis Merrill is suspected of ambushing and killing his coworker, Tamhara Collazo when she returned from lunch.

Merrill, Collazo's coworker at Allegiance Trucks, allegedly followed her about the office, obsessing over her breaks and growing enraged over her apparent avoidance. Merrill followed Collazo to her cubicle, opened fire, and shot her many times, according to a police affidavit obtained by local station FOX 4 Dallas. She passed away from her wounds after being taken to a local hospital.

The court document states, “[Merrill] was obsessed with Collazo and began getting ever increasingly angry by her taking what he considered to be unauthorised long breaks during work hours, as well as not paying any attention to him.” Authorities disclosed that Merrill meticulously tracked Collazo’s daily routines, documenting the dates and lengths of her breaks, a fixation that escalated into intense anger.

Collazo's escalating concerns caught her attention, prompting her to report the situation to the company’s human resources department. As a result, Merrill was mandated to undergo counselling before returning to work. Unfortunately, this intervention seemed to exacerbate the tension, as Collazo reportedly began to distance herself from him even further.

In his affidavit, Merrill allegedly told police that he acquired firearms with the intention of bringing them to work to "make her feel pain." He claimed to have meticulously planned the attack to take place in front of colleagues, expressing the belief that Collazo had caused him suffering and that he wanted her to experience the same. His confession revealed a premeditated act driven by a mix of resentment and unreciprocated obsession.

Allegiance Trucks has since issued a statement, reported by Fox News, expressing shock and grief. The company announced that it is providing support to Collazo's family and to employees, all of whom thankfully remained unharmed, and has closed its Lewisville office indefinitely. The statement also noted, “We are working closely with law enforcement during their ongoing investigation and ask for the community’s support as our company has unfortunately joined the growing national community of workplaces affected by gun violence.”