One-time freeway shootings suspect Leslie Merritt, Jr., went back to jail this week after allegedly violating a restraining order in which an 18-year-old woman said he threatened to kill her while she was pregnant with his child.
Glendale police arrested Merritt after he violated the restraining order early Thursday morning, documents said. The restraining order, filed earlier this month, barred Merritt from going to an apartment near 64th Avenue and Bethany Home Road.
After Merritt appeared at the aforementioned apartment early Thursday, police arrested him, records said.
In requesting the restraining order, the 18-year-old woman said Merritt had been “saying I was his property because I have his child inside me.” The woman has apparently ended her relationship with Merritt, as she also claimed that Merritt made several threats.
“[Merritt] is threatening to beat my boyfriend… up, threatening my grandma about being ready for us at the apartment,” the 18-year-old wrote in the restraining order paperwork. “Throughout the relationship Merritt threatened to kill me.”
Merritt did not return a call for comment on Friday night. He was released early Friday from 4th Avenue Jail in downtown Phoenix.
Merritt spent more than 200 days in jail after being accused of carrying out freeway shootings along I-10 last fall. He was released and the charges against him were dropped. Prosecutors could refile charges.
Merritt has filed a lawsuit against the State of Arizona and Maricopa County Prosecutor Bill Montgomery alleging malicious prosecution. Montgomery’s office has asked for that lawsuit to be dismissed.
