I spent some hours trying to solve this:
app:mergeDebugResources AAPT err(927129865): C:\\Users\\Will\\AndroidStudioProjects\\Splitter2\\app\\build\\i
It happens to me since buildToolsVersion 23.0.1. I don't know the reasson yet, but if you use ImageOptim (for MAC) with those image files, you'll get rid of that error, it removes junk metadata and unnecessary color profiles.
I hope it helps.