A man and a woman are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in the Westchase area overnight.
Houston police said the man shot his ex-girlfriend in the head and then shot himself. They were both found dead in her bedroom.
Detectives said the man lured his ex-girlfriend’s uncle out of the apartment — he was there visiting his niece — then he went in. That’s when the murder-suicide happened.
Police said it happened around 2:15 a.m. Thursday in the 3900 block of Woodchase Drive.
Shooting/Homicide: 3900 Woodchase, Male & female deceased at scene. #hounews CC8
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) December 15, 2022
Investigators said the man had been texting with the girl’s uncle and convinced the uncle to come meet him at the gate of the complex.
Police said the ex-boyfriend claimed he was there to pick up some money, but police said he never went to the gate. Instead, the ex-boyfriend sat in his car, waiting for the uncle to leave.
“It’s very unfortunate what happened here tonight. But he took some time to lie in wait, plan this out, to get her alone to do what he did,” Lt. I. Izaguirre said. “I don’t know why he would do it or why it would get to this level, only they’ll know and unfortunately, neither one can tell us.”
Investigators found that family violence-related homicides nearly doubled since before the pandemic.
It did go down in 2019 when there were 44 family violence deaths compared to 63 the year before. But, in 2020, it was up 36% and increased another 33% in 2021 with 80 deaths.
We’ve seen 308 domestic-violence murders since 2018 in Houston and of course, 2022 isn’t finished.
Domestic violence homicides in Houston – 2018 – Oct. 10, 2022
- Total: 308
- First quarter: 64
- Second quarter: 80
- Third quarter: 94
- Fourth quarter (incomplete): 70
Data shows the bulk of the homicides happened in the third quarter of the past five years. We’re still waiting on data from the past three months.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text TALK to 741-741 for free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day 7 days a week.