INGLESIDE, Tx — An off-duty Corpus Christi Independent School District police officer faces murder charges following a fatal shooting in Ingleside Monday morning that authorities say may be linked to a love triangle.
Ashley Nicole Transmeier, 29, was arrested after Ingleside police responded to reports of gunshots at a home on Capehart Circle. Police have identified the victim as 54-year-old Albert Florencio Howie, an Ingleside resident.
According to the Ingleside Police Department, officers found Transmeier minutes after the shooting when they responded to a welfare check in the 2300 block of Westlake Circle. She was discovered unresponsive in a vehicle due to narcotics ingestion.
"Following immediate investigative efforts, officers detained a 29-year-old female suspect at a separate location in Ingleside," the department said in a statement. "She is currently in police custody, undergoing medical clearance, and will face a charge of first-degree murder."
Transmeier was transported to a regional hospital under police guard. She has since been medically cleared and is being transferred to jail.
San Patricio County Sheriff Oscar Rivera told KRIS 6 News that she has not yet been booked in at the jail.
Investigators have recovered a possible murder weapon. Preliminary findings suggest the motive may be linked to a love triangle involving Howie, Transmeier, and a third family member, according to the police press release.
KRIS 6 News confirmed Transmeier is a CCISD police officer who has been placed on unpaid administrative leave. The department has been notified of her arrest.
Howie was a veteran emergency medical professional who served as a paramedic for multiple agencies including Aransas County EMS, Tri-County EMS, and Port Aransas EMS, according to a Facebook post by the Rockport Volunteer Fire Department. He also volunteered with the Rockport Volunteer Fire Department.
