Man fatally shot suspected burglar and went back to bed before calling 911: cops

A 72-year-old man from Dallas has been accused of fatally shooting a suspected burglar and going back to sleep before calling cops to the scene, the Dallas Morning News reports.

James Michael Meyer, of Old East Dallas, was arrested last Friday and charged with murder following the confrontation the day before. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, authorities received a call about a home invasion around 7 a.m. that day and arrived at a park behind Meyer's home to find the body of an unidentified male. the alleged robber was discovered face down with a gunshot wound to his neck, according to KTVT.

Dallas-Fire Rescue workers, who were also at the scene, noticed that the blood from the man's body was dry and concluded that he had been dead for some time.

Meyer reportedly told law enforcement that he had woken up at 5 a.m. to the sound of someone attempting to break into his storage shed with a pickaxe. The 72-year-old said he then grabbed his handgun, walked out of his home and warned the man to not come any closer or else he would shoot.

Meyer said he unloaded a round after the man took several steps forward. He admitted to shooting another round after the burglar abandoned his pickaxe and ran into the park. The affidavit, however, notes that "the threat of serious bodily injury against [Meyer] was over when the complainant dropped the pickax and ran off."

Meyer added that he wasn't sure whether he hit the suspected burglar but went back to bed. He purportedly woke up the next day to see what he thought was a "black bag" in the park. That bag ended up being the victim himself.

The affidavit further notes that, when questioned by the dispatcher, Meyer refused to give any details and repeatedly said he was a victim of a crime. Neighbors also reportedly disputed his account of the incident, claiming that they had heard three shots instead of two.

Meyer is being held on $150,000 bail.