Matthew Hillis says he stayed over a friend's house Friday night when he awoke to SWAT members on a megaphone telling all the people in the house to come out.
"I was asleep when they showed up really early, and I got up to the police on loud speakers," said Hillis, who says he did not know Stephen Michael Stewart, the 26-year-old man accused of shooting and killing two bail bondsmen and brothers to death.
He says his friend allowed a woman to stay at the home who brought Stewart with her. He says he did not recognize Stewart because his hair was shaved off.
"He hadn't been around as soon as I realized who was in the house I realized the gravity of the situation," Hillis said. "He never spoke to me, he just fell behind another guy I had hold of."
Hillis says that other guy was Mario Melendez, who police later arrested on a federal warrant. He says he tried to hop out of the window once he heard the officers, but Melendez pushed him down.
"I realized the front door was barricaded, and it wasn't going to go down like that. I just wanted to get out of the house," he said.
Police say overnight, the directed policing unit received information that Stewart was at 1900 Talisman Drive, so they surrounded the home around 6:30 a.m., sent out the SWAT team and took in Stewart, Melendez, Hillis and two women.
Hillis says he was questioned by officers about Stewart and their connection and was later released.
Stewart came out of the home with his hands up as police arrested him.
"Nobody got hurt," said Hillis. "I feel confident the way the whole thing went out. I just need to watch out more for roommates."
The entire SWAT operation was a sight to see, neighbors say.
"The whole street was surrounded with police cars and the SWAT team was laying up with guns drawn at the house," said Christy Karch, who saw Stewart arrested from her home across the street. She said the police ordered her to get back inside her home, and she saw officers on the roof tops and throughout the block. "They were everywhere, so it was kind of scary yet exciting, I'm just glad they got their guy."
