AUSTIN (KRQE) – They’re a popular Texas couple on YouTube, but they never thought that would put their lives in danger. That is until an Albuquerque stalker showed up at their house in the middle of the night with a gun and bad intentions.
Meg Turney and Gave Free are a popular couple on YouTube out of Austin, Texas.
Turney’s channel focuses on relationship advice and cats, while Free’s channel is all about video games. Both channels have millions of views and subscribers.
Albuquerque native Christopher Giles was one of their fans.
Austin Police say he made the 11-hour drive from Albuquerque and showed up at the couple’s house unannounced last month at 4 a.m.
“The officers had information that there were individuals or an individual that had broken into the residence,” said an Austin Police officer.
According to a search warrant, Giles was the man that broke into Turney and Free’s Austin home by breaking a window after firing off his gun.
The couple hid in a closet and called 911.
Police say when they got to the scene four minutes later, Giles was backing out of the couple’s driveway.
“At that time, the suspect then shot at the officers. The officers then returned fire,” said the officer.
Giles died in the shootout.
Police searched his apartment near Cottonwood Mall, taking computers, an Xbox, and cell phones.
Police say his phones showed he had developed an obsession with Turney, and had plans of killing Free.
They even found a recording where he said he wanted Gavin Free to die alone with no children.
Free and Turney were not hurt in the home invasion, but it put a scare into the neighborhood.
“I’m just very upset for the family that’s so traumatized by what happened and the neighbors around them,” said Lisa Duchon, a neighbor of the couple.
No officers were injured during the shootout. A search of Giles’ online court records shows the 23-year-old has no criminal history in New Mexico.Christopher Giles Search Warrant »
__________________Send a Breaking News TipReport an error or typoLearn about the KRQE apps
