University Park Police Investigate Death at Familiar Home on Fondren

Residents of the 2900 block of Fondren took note this afternoon when UPPD showed up at the home of Cynthia Martinez, a University Park mother arrested for prostitution in 2009. Chief Gary Adams confirmed they were investigating a death.

University Park Police are investigating the death of an individual found this afternoon inside a home in the 2900 block of Fondren, University Park , Texas .  The department received a call at 1:13 p.m. requesting medical assistance.  Upon arrival paramedics determined the individual was deceased.  There are no signs of foul play and the body has been released to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.  The deceased has been identified as a 20 year old University Park resident, Warren Montgomery Merrill.  The investigation is still underway at this time.

By Merritt Patterson Dec. 17, 2010 | 4:44 pm | 23 Comments | Comments RSS
23 comments to "University Park Police Investigate Death at Familiar Home on Fondren"
  1. Gadfly @ December 17, 2010 at 5:33 pm
    Did you know that there is a Lifetime movie about this woman. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt. http://blogs.babble.com/famecrawler/2010/07/20/cynthia-martinez-samantha-horton-true-story-the-client-list/

  2. Gadfly @ December 17, 2010 at 5:36 pm
    Woops! I didn’t read the update. It turns out to be about Crystal Burchett from Odessa, Texas and the Healing Touch Massage Parlor.

  3. indecentexposure @ December 18, 2010 at 3:28 am
    Cynthia Is A Fantastic Woman Who Has The Fortitude Of A Hero
    For Putting Up With All Of Your Children’s Non Sense.
    If Any Of You Parkies Out There Truly Knew The Extent Of The Alcohol/Drug Abuse Rates Going In And Through Out The High School, Middle, Private Schools Etc, In Highland Park And University Park, Well Lets Jest Say You Would Be Just As Perturbed As I Was WhenI Found Out My Dear Friend Monty Passed Forth. So Perhaps You Should Take A Minute And Look At Your Children And Own Selves.

    [Her Son] Is My Best Friend,
    He Isn’t Getting Dragged Down,
    This Communities Values Are.

    Monty You Rest In Peace My Friend, May God Guide Your Spirit.
    420 Won’t Be The Same With.Out.You.

  4. Fondren neighbor @ December 18, 2010 at 5:45 am
    Was the deceased the woman’s son or a friend of her son? Did he overdose? I’m so sorry for the family of the young man. Was he an HPHS grad? What responsibility does the home owner have in this case if it is drug related? There are so many young children in these three wonderful blocks of Fondren, it is upsetting to consider the problems coming from this one resident.

  5. anon @ December 18, 2010 at 8:08 am
    Warren Montgomery Merrill is not her son’s name.

  6. Bill @ December 18, 2010 at 9:06 am
    My condolences to the family who lost a son. What a tragedy to deal with.

    @indecentexposure,

    If there is a drug problem that we as parents are unaware of among Park Cities youth, it is your duty as an adult to report it to the schools or police. I’m quite tolerant when it comes to Park Cities teens goofing off. The line I have drawn in the sand is very far down the road and I have alot of leniency. But drugs and alcohol use? No way. Not in my neighborhood.

    I have turned a blind eye to the deaths on the SMU campus since they were contained to the dorms and fraternity row. If this death was somehow related to drugs(your 420 remark), there needs to be a criminal investigation into who supplied him the drugs.

  7. Former Student @ December 18, 2010 at 12:26 pm
    @Bill. You can say something as simple as “if you know about it, it is your DUTY to report such behavior”, but in reality….the parents either know about this, or their indifference allows it to go forth. Parents have bought alcohol and hosted backhouse parties for their kids several generations before I stepped foot in that school. Only in a town such as this can a parent completely ignore their child, yet slip them a hundred dollar bill when they walk out the door. It isn’t the students job to report on their fellow peer, but for the parents to quit sipping their wine, attending their parties, and actually at least pretend to care about their children and what they go about doing in their daily lives.

  8. Another Mother @ December 18, 2010 at 3:16 pm
    Former Student: Very tricky subject, but I agree with you. It’s not that the parents don’t care, but they are so consumed with their own lives and their own problems that they won’t put the time or effort into proper parenting. It’s a lot of work keeping up with teenagers and some don’t want to do it. Clearly not all but enough to make it a big problem. And many, shockingly, think smoking pot and drinking is fine. One mother I know allows it in her house and says they all do it, so no big deal. It is a big deal. A huge deal. But until a hard line is taken with THE PARENTS nothing will change.

  9. Anonymous @ December 18, 2010 at 3:46 pm
    That house is a notorious, free-for-all nonstop party. The mom provides alcohol and then goes out on her “dates” while her kids and their friends get drunk and high. There should be a UP police car permanently stationed in front of that house.

  10. Another Mother @ December 18, 2010 at 4:09 pm
    And the parents need to monitor their kids to be sure that they do not go to houses where parents allow drugs and alcohol. That is hard I know but an effort needs to made that the kids are simply not allowed there. And serious consequences if they do.

  11. another mom @ December 19, 2010 at 12:42 pm
    Too little info. Don’t jump to conclusions. Remember the Holidays are a time of increased depression, suicide attempts and completed suicides. Plenty of troubled kids in the Park Cities like anywhere else. This can happen to any family, anytime, anywhere–thus the hurt, fear and anger in our community, which is all part of grief. Perfectly normal. With that understood, it’s time for self-examination and being with our kids, listening to them, no nagging, just listen. Let’s focus on that and keep all of our families, including the Fondren home, in our prayers. Never forget–it could be us in our own home, whether we think it could ever happen to us or not. There are no bubbles in our world, really, that don’t get popped.

  12. another mom @ December 19, 2010 at 1:42 pm
    Too little info here. Am praying for all of us in our community–our families, our kids, our neighbors, Monty’s family, familiar address family and for all of us. I am more worried about mansions housing drugs and dealers than the home on Fondren. Hurt and fear, the primary emotions beneath anger are understandable in our grief. Perfectly normal. All the same, let’s self-examine and hold our kids close during this holiday season. The holidays are a time of increased depression, attempted suicide and completed suicides. Drug abuse is self-destructive by definition as is alcohol abuse. This could happen to any family, anytime, anywhere, in anyone’s home if a kid is determined to self destruct. Remember Boogie’s suicide and funeral? Remember the ones since then? Aware of the drugs in our schools? There is no bubble in our world that does not get popped. Time for reality checks and being with our kids, listening to our kids, showing love that they need like soil and water. Really listening and learning signs of self-destructive thoughts and behavior is easier said than done. Parenting is a lot of listening and learning what we need to know not just assuming we know enough. Also, let’s focus on catching dealers in our communities. When my husband was a youth pastor, many years ago, back east the kids told him which mansions the dealers lived in and he told the parents. It was a wealthy community like our’s. We were young and my husband told the parents, but the parents wouldn’t listen. Some people didn’t believe their friends were dealers. Others just said, “Oh, kids do that when they are young.” No one would step up. Wish someone would identify the dealer(s) here. I guess there’s so much disbelief, fear or frustration around that folk just haven’t step here either. Easier to pick on suffering kids and their kind of different mom who live in a bungalow? Hmmmm. Lots to pray about here, because the real truth is often harder than hard.

  13. missie @ December 19, 2010 at 6:30 pm
    Addiction is a mental,spiritual and emotional disease. When exposed to the substance (alcohol, drugs legal or not), a physical and mental craving is triggered. A loving home does not prevent addiction. Bad parenting does not cause it either. Kids, tell your parents if you are in trouble. Parents, reach out for help too.

    RIP Monty.

  14. anon @ December 20, 2010 at 9:08 am
    @another mom. Beautiful. Thank you. And I do remember Boogie, fondly. No family is completely protected.

  15. Avid Reader @ December 20, 2010 at 10:51 am
    “I am more worried about mansions housing drugs and dealers than the home on Fondren.” While we should all be worried about dealers, until someone comes forward with legit information we can only work with what we know. What we know is this house has been in the news because of prostitution, drugs, alcohol, and now a death. As much as this house clearly has a loyal following, it is also clear that it is a problem in our neighborhood. Do not try to white-wash over the facts on the ground.

  16. missie @ December 20, 2010 at 1:16 pm
    @avidreader
    Agree.

  17. FBI / ATF? @ December 20, 2010 at 2:50 pm
    Is this a good time to ask what was discovered, if anything, regarding the origin of high quality fake ID’s that were used to gain entrance into the Paladium nightclub last spring? The incident where the underage girl drank herself into a coma. What about the boys who were discovered with the ID’s, off to univeristy?

  18. kmom @ December 20, 2010 at 4:49 pm
    @FBI/ATF? – they are now in training with the Secret Service – such clever lads.

  19. another mom @ December 26, 2010 at 9:49 am
    Avid reader and missie each got me thinking although @avid reader I am very I tend to be cautious in distinctions between arrests vs convictions in media reports. Yet this recent event at Fondren is chilling and of serious concern. @ anon thank you. My kid like so many others has never forgotten Boogie. Too many kids dying recently for such a small community.t

  20. another mom @ December 26, 2010 at 10:54 am
    Missie’s comments in response to issues of alcohol and drug abuse as serious disease are very important. @Avid Reader yes we do have to take seriously that something is wrong at the Fondren house –as a UP resident one wearies of chilling events there, even while discerning arrest vs. conviction and accusation/allegation vs. convicting, substantial evidence that holds up in a courtroom. @Anon we will never forget Boogie. God bless you and your’s.

  21. Really? @ December 30, 2010 at 5:23 pm
    EVERY SINGLE PARENT WITH A CHILD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL AGED IN THE PARK CITIES KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM……EVERY SINGLE ONE. Not just the “hip” “cool” “down with the kids” parents……EVERY ONE AND IS RESPONSIBLE. SORRY, BUT I AM ONE OF THOSE PARENTS AND I KNOW. And it’s all related….home invasions….fake ids…..overdosed 19 year olds….these kids don’t have a chance.

  22. Another Mother @ December 31, 2010 at 7:10 pm
    Let us pray that no parents are hosting New Years Eve parties for teens and serving alcohol to them this evening.
    Thses kids do have a chance. We can give it to them.

  23. mary @ January 26, 2011 at 5:24 pm
    rest in peace monty, you will be missed by everyone.

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