News Flash

Public Safety Press Releases

Posted on: November 19, 2022

Sex Offender Arrested Following Home Invasion

Denton Police Department Media Release

DENTON, TX, Nov. 19, 2022 – The Denton Police Department has arrested a registered sex offender on multiple charges following a home invasion Friday morning.

A female resident reported that an unknown male had broken into her residence and physically assaulted her early Friday morning. The woman was restrained against her will for approximately two hours, and she was threatened and cut with a knife during a struggle with the male suspect. After the suspect fled with her credit card and other property, she was able to free herself from the restraints and call 911. She sustained minor physical injuries. 

Detectives quickly identified the male as 72-year-old Paul Merritt, a registered sex offender, after reviewing interior home surveillance video of the suspect. He was contacted and detained Friday afternoon wearing the same clothes as the suspect in the video. He also had fresh scratches on his face, indicative of a recent struggle.

Merritt agreed to speak to detectives and confessed to multiple crimes during the interview. He told detectives that approximately two months ago, he saw the woman at a store, followed her, and watched her at her residence multiple times. He admitted to breaking into her home and assaulting her on Friday, and he additionally confessed to previously attempting to gain entry into her residence. 

Detectives also determined that Merritt lied about his residential address and was primarily living at another residence, failing to comply with his sex offender registration requirements. 

Merritt was arrested and charged with Stalking, Failure to Comply with Registration Requirements with Previous Conviction, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Unlawful Restraint, and Burglary of Habitation with the Intent to Commit Another Felony. Merritt is currently in the Denton County Jail with a $355,000 bond. 

Denton PD commends our responding officers, detectives, dispatchers, and forensics personnel for their thorough work, which led to Merritt’s quick arrest. If you have additional information about Merritt that may be relevant to detectives, please call 940-349-8181 and reference case #22186808.

Paul Merritt

###

Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in Public Safety Press Releases

Denton Police Department Media Release

Arrest Made in Homicide Investigation

Posted on: April 24, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

Fatal Crash Under Investigation

Posted on: April 13, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

Suspect Arrested for Capital Murder

Posted on: April 4, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

Double Homicide Investigation Ongoing

Posted on: March 24, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

Wells Fargo Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested

Posted on: February 27, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

Homicide Suspect Arrested in Oklahoma

Posted on: February 4, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

Homicide Investigation Ongoing

Posted on: January 12, 2023
Denton Police Department Media Release

In-Custody Death Investigation Ongoing

Posted on: December 9, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Aggravated Robbery Under Investigation

Posted on: October 27, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Landlord Arrested for Aggravated Assault

Posted on: September 28, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

In-Custody Death Under Investigation

Posted on: June 22, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Woman Arrested for Murder

Posted on: May 25, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Injury to a Child Arrest

Posted on: April 2, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

March 19 Murder Suspect Arrested

Posted on: March 21, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Fred Moore High School Student Arrested

Posted on: February 25, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Barricaded Person Taken into Custody

Posted on: February 22, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Woman Arrested for Murder of Grandchild

Posted on: January 24, 2022
Denton Police Department Media Release

Denton Police Arrest Man for Murder

Posted on: November 5, 2021