UPDATED: McKinney man charged with murdering wife in their North Texas home

Early reports indicate that police are focusing their attention on a fire pit in the home's backyard.

Courtesy of First Response Photography

Investigators spent much of Wednesday night putting together the pieces of what they're calling a homicide at a McKinney home in the Mallard Lakes subdivision. Eric Merz, 42, has been charged with murdering his wife, 44-year-old Mary "Beth" Merz.

MCKINNEY — A man has been charged with murdering his wife at their McKinney home.

McKinney police found a woman dead and her husband injured inside a residence in the 300 block of Pintail Drive late Wednesday afternoon.

At 4:15 p.m., police responded to a 911 call made by a neighbor, who said a child had told them he saw his mother laying unconscious on the floor of the Mallard Lakes subdivision home, said Sgt. Chad Barker of MPD.

After seeing the woman upon arrival, first responders forced their way into the house and found Mary "Beth" Merz, 44, dead near the front door from apparent gunshot wounds, Barker said.

"They told me they are working the scene as a shooting," Barker said Thursday, adding that police could not yet release how many shots or the type of gun because of the ongoing investigation.

Police located Mrs. Merz's husband, 42-year-old Eric Merz, unresponsive on the floor in the nearby study. He was transported to Baylor Medical Center at McKinney in stable condition.

Investigators focused their attention on a fire pit in the home's backyard, according to witnesses on scene. They obtained a search warrant for the residence and then an arrest warrant for Mr. Merz, who was later charged with the murder of his wife and booked into the Collin County jail.

"I don't know any specifics about his actions or his motives, I just know that right now he was charged with murder," Barker said Wednesday night.

Merz's bond is set at $150,000.

"There's little else we can release at this time because we don't want to compromise the investigation," Barker said. "Mr. Merz may be bonded out at any time."