74-year-old Paul Merritt, a registered sex offender, has been sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for a home invasion in Denton. On the morning of November 18, 2022, a woman reported that a man broke into her home, physically assaulted her, and restrained her. Detectives quickly identified Merritt from surveillance footage and arrested him later that afternoon.
Merritt confessed to the assault, burglary, and violating his sex offender registration requirements. On Wednesday, the 16th Judicial District Court convicted Merritt of Burglary of Habitation with Intent to Commit another Felony, sentencing him to life in prison. He also received a 20-year sentence for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
The Denton Police Department praised the collaborative effort of patrol officers, detectives, and crime analysts for Merritt's swift arrest. The Denton County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
