Teen romance ends in ‘shocking’ murder-suicide

A teen romance ended in a murder-suicide when a high school football player in Texas killed his ex-girlfriend before taking his own life, police said.

Louis Nickerson, 19, was allegedly upset over his recent breakup with Clarissa Riojas, 18, and fatally shot her Wednesday morning at a San Antonio apartment, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Police said the teen then shot and killed himself in nearby woods. His body was reportedly found just a few hundred yards from the apartment with the gun in his hand.

“We have a very, very serious and tragic incident that happened here [Wednesday] morning,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at a news conference.

Both victims were seniors at Highlands High School, where Riojas was a member of the brigade dance team, according to the Fort-Worth Telegram. Nickerson played football and basketball at the school.

Friends said the pair had been dating for more than a year but the relationship was tumultuous.

“[Riojas] was always telling me how he was abusive,” friend Adrean Coy told mySanAntonio. “But she felt bad for him so she tried to help him.”

In one instance, Nickerson even allegedly went as far as slashing her tires, according to the news outlet.

“It was just so toxic,” classmate Angela Zetina said.

Riojas ultimately took her friends’ advice last week and dumped him. Furious she wasn’t answering calls, Nickerson broke into the apartment where she was staying and killed her in front of her sister, police said.

Friends mourned the slain couple Wednesday by paying tribute on social media.

“Clarissa was still a baby and had yet to experience life,” wrote one friend on Twitter. “Everyone knows she had so much to live for. She didn’t deserve this. She was only [a] teenager learning how to love like the rest of us.”

The San Antonio Independent School District released a statement saying counseling will be available to students.

“We learned this morning of the shocking deaths of two seniors at Highlands High School, which occurred this morning off campus,” spokeswoman Leslie Price said. “What happened is tragic, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of these students. A crisis team of counselors was sent to the school to support students who are trying to cope with the news of these deaths.”

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