Police in Houston believe the person who killed former President George H.W. Bush’s cardiologist last month might have gone after the physician because of an incident two decades ago and warned the suspect remains at large.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo on Wednesday announced a manhunt for 65-year-old Joseph James Pappas, the man they believe fatally shot Mark Hausknecht on July 20.
UPDATE #9: Joseph James Pappas, 65, is charged with murdering Dr. Mark Hausknecht. Pappas is considered to be armed and extremely dangerous. If you see him call 9–1-1. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/m9QhDL2i0V
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 1, 2018
Hausknecht had treated Bush in 2000 for symptoms that led them to discover an irregular heartbeat.
Authorities believe Pappas went after the 65-year-old doctor because his mother had died while being operated on by Hausknecht 20 years ago.
“It appears that this might be a 20-year-old grudge,” Acevedo said.
Police were tipped off Tuesday that Pappas was the suspect who had shot the doctor as he biked to work at the Texas Medical Center last month. They also received video footage from a local resident’s home security system that captured who police believe was Pappas.
“We also learned that the suspect had not been heard from by people that know him for over 24 hours and there is a text that he sent someone that said he was going to kill himself,” Acevedo said.
Police have obtained an arrest warrant and believe he is armed and dangerous.
