Suspect In Doctor's Killing Tried To Sell Guns Online

HOUSTON, TX -- The man accused in the brutal murder of Houston cardiologist Dr. Mark Hausknecht apparently made several transactions in the days before and after the murder.

Joseph James Pappas, a Houston area real estate broker who worked out of his home in Westbury, listed a semi-automatic rifle, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver, ammunition, ballistic door panels for a Crown Victoria, and two tactical vests.

The items were listed on ARMSLIST.COM, an online site where private citizens can buy and sell weapons, according to reports. It’s not known if any of the weapons listed for sale were used to kill Hausknecht.

Pappas, a former Harris County deputy constable and private concealed handgun instructor, was identified by Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo as the prime suspect in Hausknecht’s murder on July 20.

"He is dangerous. He is capable and, if you spot him, please call 911," Acevedo said.

Acevedo, who said early in the investigation that Hausknecht was targeted by his killer, said Wednesday that Pappas held a 20-year grudge against the doctor after his mother died during surgery.

Investigators said that on the day before the shooting, Pappas sent notarized documents via courier service that deeded his house to a woman in Ohio, KPRC reported.

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Image: HPD

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