HOUSTON -- A 30-year-old man who spent his days reading a Bible in a Houston church was arrested Tuesday for a Florida murder.

People who attend St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church near the Texas Medical Center knew the man as Mitch Walker. In reality, he is David Eric Merkel, the prime suspect in the brutal murder of a Panama City, Fla. motel clerk eight months ago.

Investigators said the clerk, Edward Bennett, had been beaten by someone with a claw hammer and stabbed at least 22 times. The motel's cash box was also taken.

“Investigators in Florida were tipped off (to) his whereabouts in the Houston area because of an ATM withdraw that he made at Northwest Mall,” said U.S. Marshal Cameron Welch.

Then a Crime Stoppers tip lead police to a home in the Heights, where a church member had taken the man in.

Joann Alba operates the Heights Discount Cleaners across the street from the home where Merkel was staying. She said she became friends with the man who she described as “nice” but seemed to have a lot weighing on his mind.

“I think so because I saw him reading the Bible most of the day,” said Alba. She said the man she knew as Mitch Walker had also taken a vow of silence.

On Tuesday, the Gulf Coast Violent Task Force moved in on the house and arrested Merkel.

“I think he knew that the run was over,” said Welch. “And he just put his hands up and surrendered to police peacefully.”

Panama City police drove most of the night and were in Houston Wednesday to interview Merkel. They claim his daily prayers and the Bible reading weren't signs of contrition, but rather an act.

“After we talked with him, we found out that a lot of people had befriended him, thinking he was becoming religious and had a lot of remorse,” said Panama City Detective Jon Morris. “But it was all an act. It was all a ploy, and he was finding great joy in manipulating people that were here.”

Police said Merkel has confessed to the Florida murder.

He remained in the Harris County Jail Wednesday night, awaiting extradition to Florida.