FANNIN COUNTY, Texas -- Fannin County Sheriff's investigators are still here at the couple's house near Leonard tonight.
Other deputies went to Louisiana, where police found 52-year-old Thomas Taunton, after his Ford pickup broke down.
Authorities said Taunton's Ford F-250 broke down in Stonewall Louisiana. It was pulling a 16 foot trailer. He took the truck to an auto dealership, where he was spotted by police.
Texas Rangers wanted to question Taunton in the disappearance of his mother and step- father, Harold and Sue Harpst.
The Harpsts were reported missing Wednesday. Investigators went into the house and found evidence of foul play. Also missing, the Harpst's adult daughter who lives with them.
"This is a small community,” said Linda O'Dell, a family friend. “And when something happens of this nature, it affects everybody." Linda O'Dell, a family friend.
O'Dell sold the Harpsts the land they built their house on seven years ago.
"And they were just super nice. Harold had a great sense of humor,” O’Dell said. “I always used to tell him if he wanted to buy anything else, get his money out. And he said, you got all my money last time. I don't have any more left."
The Harpsts were well known in their community. They frequent the local Dairy Queen and attend a small Methodist church.
Harold Harpst, a diabetic, lost both his legs. Linda O'Dell said she is struggling with the killings and the arrest.
"Tom, her son, I met him when he first moved on there,” O’Dell said. “I see him out there in the yard several times, mowing or doing dome kind of cleanup.”
Taunton told authorities his trailer is filled with clothing and personal belongings. But investigators believe they will find more clues to his three missing family members. They were still in Louisiana Thursday night armed with a search warrant.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
