Odessa Police Arrest Suspect Following Northwest Residential Burglary and Struggle

ODESSA, Texas — A northwest Odessa homeowner's unexpected return disrupted a residential burglary in progress, leading to a physical confrontation and the subsequent arrest of a 29-year-old suspect. Herman Enrique Perez is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after he was found hiding in a nearby backyard by Odessa Police Department officers.

The incident occurred on the evening of Tuesday, February 17, 2026. According to police reports, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1500 block of Palomar Drive after receiving an urgent call regarding a burglary in progress. The victim told dispatchers that they had returned home to find an unknown male suspect inside their house. When confronted, the suspect, later identified as Perez, engaged in a brief physical struggle with the homeowner before breaking free and fleeing the scene on foot.

Odessa Police officers arrived quickly and set up a search perimeter in the residential neighborhood. After a search of the surrounding properties, officers located Perez hiding in a backyard in the adjacent 1400 block of Palomar Drive. He was detained after a brief struggle and taken into custody.

During a search incident to his arrest, officers discovered that Perez was in possession of a controlled substance. Additionally, investigators found him in possession of personal documents, financial identifiers, and other mail belonging to residents living in the 300 block of Santa Rita Drive, indicating a broader pattern of theft and mail tampering in the area.

Perez was booked into the Ector County Detention Center on a series of charges, including Burglary of a Habitation (a second-degree felony), Possession of a Controlled Substance (a third-degree felony), Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information (a state jail felony), Criminal Trespass, and Failure to Identify. The Odessa Police Department is continuing to investigate whether Perez is linked to other reported package thefts or burglaries in the northwest region of the city.