DALLAS _ A Rowlett man accused in the killing of two sisters in a dorm room at Texas A&M University-Commerce is also a capital murder suspect in a New Year's Eve slaying in Denton, Denton police said Wednesday.
Jacques Smith, 21, is one of three men accused in the killing of Steven Daniels on Dec. 31 in Denton.
Denton police were assisting investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety with a search warrant on Tuesday on Smith's home in Rowlett. The search was related to the killing Monday of the sisters at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
During the search of his home on Tuesday, authorities connected Smith and two others to the Denton homicide. Denton police did not provide any details on the evidence.
Daniels, 22, was found in a Denton apartment complex parking lot.
Along with Smith, Jalin Hargrove, 23, and Earnest Rogers, 26, have been arrested in connection with the Denton homicide. Hargrove, Smith and Rogers face capital murder charges in the case.
Smith also is a capital murder suspect in the shooting deaths of Deja Matts, a 19-year-old freshman, and Abbaney Matts, her 20-year-old sister, at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The two were found dead Monday in Pride Rock residence hall.
The 2-year-old son of Abbaney Matts was injured in the shooting but released to the care of family, officials said. The boy was shot in the leg, WFAA reported.
Smith was Abbaney Matts' ex-boyfriend. He had been released from jail on bond after being accused of assaulting her last week.
Timothy Matts, the sisters' father, told WFAA that his daughters had just been home for a family birthday party. Abbaney and her son were going to spend the night at the dorm after driving Deja back to school, Matts told the TV station.
"I think it was a coward move," Matts told WFAA. "I mean that someone would do something like that. My daughters were fun, uplifting, they had plenty of friends. Nice folks. Know what I'm saying. They took both my daughters."
Smith remains in the Hunt County Jail in Greenville.
Abbaney Matts and Smith weren't students at the university.
Deja Matts, who was from Garland, Texas, was pursuing a bachelor's degree in public health, officials said.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family, friends and students impacted by today's tragic event," university President Mark Rudin said.
In a 911 call released by university police, a student told dispatchers she returned to her dorm after class Monday morning to find debris in her room.
"I walked into my dorm room when I got back from class ... and it looked like part of the ceiling had fallen on all of my floor and all over my desk and everything," the student said. "Then I looked over and there's a hole through my wall."
The student continued describing the scene.
"It looks like something was shot through the wall and hit my calendar and the wall is all broken apart," she said.
