Woman found shot to death inside running SUV in SW Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police may have a hard time solving a woman's murder. She was gunned down behind the wheel of her SUV, and there are few clues as to what may have happened.

The woman was found dead along Birdwood near Renwick in southwest Houston late Thursday night. She was killed just a couple of blocks away from her apartment complex, and the murder has her friends and neighbors very concerned right now.

Friends are leaving stuffed animals and balloons, building a small roadside memorial in memory of a woman who was shot and left to die.

"She was great," said Kim Ortiz, a friend of the victim. "She was funny, friendly."

Ortiz says the 29-year-old victim was her best friend. Police say the woman was driving her SUV when an unknown person shot her in the head on the 5400 block of Birdwood around 11pm Thursday. Several neighbors woke up to the commotion.

Neighbor Lew Williams said, 'Heard three shots, very loud. It sounded like it was bang... and then bang, bang."

Investigators say the victim wasn't robbed. And they're speculating road rage could have played a part in this murder. The woman's friends just want some answers.

"She was trying to get back on her feet," Ortiz said. "She was bettering herself. She was going to school."

Police believe the victim backed her SUV off the street and onto a field trying to escape the gunman. A neighbor passing by found her dead behind the wheel. Several witnesses told police they saw a black Tahoe speeding from the scene after the shooting.

"I hope that if somebody knows that person or knows what happened, they could say something. Because we're all wondering," Ortiz said. "We all just want to know something. Something needs to be done. Justice needs to happen."

Officials have not yet released the victim's name. Investigators are canvassing the neighborhood and looking for surveillance video.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
___________________________________________________________

Take ABC13 with you!
Download our free apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices

(Copyright ©2013 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, demond fernandez

View the original article here

Mother and daughter found dead inside SW Houston home

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have an update on the murder of a mother and daughter in southwest Houston. The alleged gunman told his family he'd taken care of some "unfinished business."

The 35-year-old mother and her 13-year-old daughter were found shot to death yesterday in their home on Jetty near Kirkwood at around 2:45pm.

The suspect's family told police he has a violent history and they were alarmed by his comment and the fact that he had a gun on him. They immediately went to the home and discovered the bodies.

Police say the woman is the suspect's ex-girlfriend, but he is not the father of the child. The suspect is in custody.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Dead man found in driver's seat of still-running pickup truck

  By Crystal KobzaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police are investigating after a man was found dead in a pickup truck Wednesday morning in northwest Houston.

The man was discovered in the 5300 block of Lost Forest near Pinemont and Highway 290. According to investigators at the scene, the victim has a gunshot wound to the back of the head and at this time they are treating this as a homicide.

Neighbors reported seeing the truck parked there at about 2am. They said the truck was running at the time.

But it wasn't until later in the morning, when they approached the vehicle and knocked on the window, did they realize something wasn't right. They also realized the truck was still running at that time.

One of those neighbors then opened the door to find the man dead inside his truck.

Witness Roland Mendiola said, "He told me, hey there is a guy parked out in front, he looks like he is passed out and I said he is probably just drunk."

So far police have not released any information on a motive or any suspect information at this time. But they do tell us the victim appears to be in his 20s and no weapon was found in the vehicle.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Jewelry may help ID burned victim found on rural property

FULSHEAR, TX (KTRK) -- Police in Fulshear are searching for answers after a woman's burned body was discovered in a rural area on Monday.

Fulshear police are still trying to identify the remains. They say the woman is in her 20s to 30s and was about 5' to 5'2" tall. But the victim is burned so badly they cannot tell her race.

On a gravel road just off Katy-Fulshear Road is a spot of scarred ground where it appears something burned. Fulshear police say a ranch hand discovered a badly burned body there on Monday morning.

It's a rural area where the only residents immediately nearby are cattle. It's a well-traveled road during the day. People driving along the dirt road there say this shakes their sense of safety.

"It's such a remote area," said neighbor Michelle Thompson. "You think this area of Houston is safe out here."

Investigators say it's not clear how long the body had been there. It appears it was burned at the location. There are no missing women in Fulshear and none in Fort Bend County. Detectives are working with other agencies to see if any evidence might link to any of their missing persons cases.

The victim found in the field was wearing something which investigators hope might be the key to figuring out her identity.

Fulshear Police Chief Kenny Seymour said, "We're working on a piece of jewelry that the victim had on that might be distinctive and might stick out in somebody's mind."

One other distinctive feature they say is that the woman had extensive dental work. Investigators say she had a number of veneers. She was wearing jeans with a red top and a belt with several metal rivet designs.

Based on the autopsy, officials believe her cause of death was possibly blunt trauma to the body and possibly strangulation.

If you have any information which can help detectives figure out who the woman is, you can contact the Fulshear Police Department at 281-346-2202, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office at 281-341-4665 or Crime Stoppers at 281-342-TIPS.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, kevin quinn

View the original article here

43-foot baleen whale found dead on Matagorda Beach

The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Galveston will perform a necropsy on the 43 foot baleen whale

  MATAGORDA, TX -- Animal rescuers say a 43-foot whale has been found dead on a Texas beach.

The Victoria Advocate reports the baleen whale was discovered Tuesday on Matagorda Beach.

Heidi Whitehead with the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Galveston says it's definitely rare for a large whale to come ashore on the Texas coast. Whitehead says a necropsy was planned Wednesday.

Further details on the animal weren't immediately available.

Matagorda is about 90 miles southwest of Houston.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Body of man who jumped from Galveston Causeway found

  GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- The body of a man who jumped from the Galveston Causeway has been found.

The search for 39-year-old Vinshay Erroshaun Lewis concluded Friday upon discovery of his body in Galveston Bay near Sportsman Road. Authorities say Lewis parked his vehicle and jumped over the rail of the Galveston Causeway last Thursday after a brief conversation with a wrecker driver. Efforts to find the body had not been successful and Lewis' family reached out more than a week later to Texas Equusearch for assistance in resuming the search.

Equusearch provided a command post and organizations split portions of Galveston Bay adjacent to the Galveston Causeway into search quadrants, scouring the shorelines, reefs and piers.

Lewis' body was spotted by the Galveston County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter unit at approximately 12:25pm near Sportsman Road in Galveston Bay.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

galveston, local

View the original article here

Deputies: Kids found near drugs, guns after murder

Jaime Ryan Devita, 33, was arrested for murder, and April Nicole Devita, 30, was arrested and taken to jail for endangering a child.

  CONROE, TX (KTRK) -- A Conroe couple is facing charges after a neighbor was shot to death, and their young children were allegedly found near guns and drugs.

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to a home in the 16900 block of West Hammon, just west of Conroe around 5pm Thursday. Deputies arrived found Marcus "Dale" Fisher, 51, had been shot and killed, reportedly by a neighbor. Jaime Ryan Devita, 33, was arrested at the shooting scene for murder.

Deputies say Fisher arrived on his motorcycle at a nearby residence of Devita to visit friends. Fisher was reportedly confronted in the street by Devita, and during an argument was hit with a fatal shotgun blast to the chest.

Witnesses told deputies that Devita's wife and children had been seen just before the shooting, but now could not be found. When deputies entered the Devitas' home, they found the wife and children hiding. Inside the residence deputies say they discovered an indoor marijuana grow operation and guns within easy reach of the children, ages two and four.

April Nicole Devita, 30, was arrested and taken to jail for endangering a child. The children were released to Children's Protective Services.

The investigation continued into the night by crime scene, homicide and narcotic investigators. Additional charges are possible.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

conroe, local

View the original article here

Motorcyclist found dead hours after crash

The motorcycle and rider both went over a wall of a ramp from the Gulf Freeway the South Loop, where he died, obscured from view

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A motorcycle rider is dead, but police aren't sure just when he died.

A person walking along the grassy area near the connector ramp of the Gulf Freeway and the South Loop found the body and the motorcycle around 4:45am. Police say the accident scene appeared to be several hours old.

Police say it appears the cycle rider may have been speeding as he took the ramp on to the South Loop and went over the wall. He wasn't wearing a helmet.

The crash was obscured by the wall, so Houston police are asking anyone who may have seen something to contact the vehicular crimes division at 713-247-4077.

The man's identity has not been released.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Sex offender back in jail after officers say they found child porn on his laptop

Jack Edward Logan faces three charges of possession of images of child pornography and one count of violation of a protective order.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A registered sex offender went back to jail after officers say they found child pornography on his laptop.

Jack Edward Logan faces three charges of possession of images of child pornography and one count of violation of a protective order. Harris County Precinct 4 investigators say Logan went to his wife's home in violation of that protective order. Deputy constables say Logan left his laptop there.

The wife gave the computer to authorities who say they found numerous images of child porn on the laptop.

Logan was arrested and placed into the Harris County Jail without incident.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Body found at trash dump site in SW Houston

  Crystal KobzaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- It sounds like an episode of ABC's "Castle." A body is discovered at a trash dump site in southwest Houston. Now the hard part for investigators is figuring out where it came from and what happened to the man.

The body was found Friday morning at the Ruffino Hills transfer station.

There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the situation, and according to the waste company, they have reason to believe the body was dumped in a Dumpster somewhere around downtown.

Hundreds of Dumpsters sit out all around downtown Houston, but investigators now have to figure out from which one of them the body of man came.

"He was in some sort of Dumpster. How he got in that Dumpster is something that we are trying to find out right now," Houston Police Department Sgt. William Bush said.

According to detectives, around 6am Friday a deceased man was found by workers sorting through trash at the waste transfer center.

"While sorting the trash, he actually picked the body up, realized what he had and set the body down," Bush said.

WCA Corporation Vice President Mike Roy says that transfer center opened at 3am and by the time the body was discovered, 11 trucks had dumped their trash.

All 11 of those trucks were asked to return to the transfer center so investigators could start backtracking their routes.

According to the waste company, they have narrowed it down to three trucks that arrived to the transfer station Friday morning. They believe one of those three trucks was carrying the body.

Police tell us when the man was found there were signs of trauma. But detectives added whether that trauma was a result of injuries he suffered at the time of his death or from being dumped remains unknown.

"The conditions that we found him under, there is a lot of trauma to the body but it's going to be up to the doctors, those professionals, to tell us exactly what happened to him," Bush said.

Police say the man is described as a Hispanic male in his 50's or 60's. He did have some identifying information on him but they will have to wait on the medical examiner to positively identify him.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Two men found dead in ditch in Waller County

  WALLER CO, TX (KTRK) -- Two people are in custody after two men were found in a ditch in Waller County early Saturday morning.

A call of shots being fired near Willow Brook at Penick was called in to the Waller County Sheriff's Office at around 1:15am. When investigators arrived, they found two Hispanic males lying in a ditch.

Two suspects -- a 16-year-old Hispanic male and a 26-year-old Hispanic male -- were arrested at around 3:30pm Saturday afternoon.

Investigators say a dispute over money may have led to the shooting.

We're gathering details and will update you online and on air as we learn more.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Ex-Houston police officer found guilty of aggravated sex assault of woman in 2011

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A jury Thursday afternoon handed down a guilty verdict in the rape trial of a former Houston police officer.

Jurors deliberated for a total of about eight hours before finding former HPD officer Abraham Joseph guilty on two counts of aggravated sexual assault -- the most serious of three possible charges he faced.

"We the jury find the defendant Abraham Joseph guilty of aggravated sexual assault by a public servant," read the judge.

The jury's verdict is a victory for Joseph's victim, who had difficulty containing her emotions. We spoke with her through a translator outside the courtroom.

"I just told the truth," she said.

On the other side of the courtroom, an equally emotional woman, Abraham Joseph's wife, buried her head sobbed. Her husband, a former Houston police officer, is now a convicted felon. In January 2011, prosecutors say Joseph raped a cantina waitress while he was on duty and in uniform. A second woman testified during the trial he did the same thing to her.

"I think the judge's decision to allow this witness was appropriate. This person's incident with the officer was very similar to the case, remarkably similar," said KTRK Legal Analyst Joel Androphy.

In all, jurors deliberated for seven and a half hours. They had two legal questions about DNA evidence and the definition of aggravated sexual assault. They also asked to see five pieces of evidence. All signs that could have appeared to favor the defense.

In the end, jurors believed the victim's story. She proclaimed her thanks.

"I am very pleased because justice has been made," she said.

Jurors were asked to consider three different types of charges: aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, or improper sexual activity with someone in custody.

There are five women and seven men on this jury and their work is not done as they've moved into the punishment phase.

Joseph faces five years to life in prison on each count, and he could be eligible for parole.

So far during the punishment phase, jurors heard from three more cantina waitresses who say Joseph sexually assaulted them as well.

Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest in this case.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

houston police department, local, sonia azad

View the original article here

Man found shot outside south side funeral home

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man was found shot outside a funeral home on Houston's south side overnight.

The discovery was made on Holmes near Scott just before 1am. Police believe the victim was shot somewhere else and driven to the funeral home. He's in the hospital now. His condition is unknown.

There was a woman with the victim. She tells police she was asleep and didn't even know the victim had been shot. Police are questioning her.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Police: Roommate admits killing man found in blanket

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There's an investigation underway into the death of a person at an apartment complex in northwest Harris County.

At about 11pm Thursday, deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office responded to a call for the Timber Walk Apartments at 5635 Timber Creek Place Drive in reference to a welfare check. Deputies arrived and found a male body in a blanket inside one of the apartments.

Police say the female roommate admitted to stabbing the man. The investigation is ongoing. No names have been released at this time.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

DA: Paramedic in possession of child porn was found in bed with a boy during a search warrant

Chaise Michael Green, 28, is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A local firefighter and paramedic is accused of possessing images and videos of child porn.

On September 26, the Harris County Pct. 4 Constables Office say they executed a search warrant at a Spring area residence in reference to an investigation involving the alleged possession and possible distribution of child pornography.

During the search of the residence, investigators say a male identified as Chaise Michael Green was found in bed with a prepubescent male child.

Investigators say they discovered multiple images and videos of child pornography on Green's personal laptop computer and storage device.

Court documents state Green had recently worked as a fireman and was employed as an Emergency Medical Technician with a local ambulance company.

Green, 28, is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography. Bond has been set at $60,000 total.

Authorities say they are interviewing the boy found in bed with Green and further charges may be filed against Green.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

spring, local

View the original article here

Body found during search for missing woman

CHANNELVIEW, TX (KTRK) -- A search effort in the Channelview area has ended after the body of a woman's was found right under the missing woman's trailer home. Rosemarie Hutcheson hasn't been seen since Friday night. Now authorities are working to confirm whether the body found Tuesday is in fact her.

Two volunteers with Texas Equuseach found the body of a woman underneath the trailer where Rosemarie lived with her husband and her daughter. The 52-year-old went missing around 6:30pm Friday. A family friend told Eyewitness News she had gone to a shed in the yard, and her husband had gone around to the other side of the house. By the time he reached the shed, Rosemarie was gone.

Texas Equusearch has been looking for her for the past two days, mainly in the densely wooded area behind the trailer park. On Tuesday afternoon they began retracing their steps, focusing on the back side of the trailer.

"One of the things that we noticed is that if you look at the skirting on the trailer, how straight it is and everything," said Tim Miller with Equusearch. "That one corner, you could tell the skirting wasn't like the rest of the skirting. That was another indication that for one reason or another, the skirting didn't look the same."

The searchers who found the body said it appeared it had been there for a few days. Investigators did not find any signs of foul play and suspect it might be a case of suicide.

Earlier, the Harris County Sheriff's Office told us Rosemarie had been suffering from depression.

Authorities have taken a DNA swab from Rosemarie's husband.

The identity of the body has not yet been confirmed.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, adela uchida

View the original article here

Man's body found in ditch in northwest Houston

Authorities say the victim was found face down in the ditch overnight in northwest Houston.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police are investigating the death of a man who was found in a park overnight.

They made the discovery around midnight at Jim Lee Park on Peppermill near Valley Field in northwest Houston. Police say they received a call about a man found face down in a ditch at the park.

Investigators don't know if he was killed at the park, or if he was left there.

The victim is only described as a Hispanic male in his 20s. Detectives will be interviewing neighbors today.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Police release info in hopes of identifying human remains found at abandoned apartment complex

Items found at the scene include: a decorative gold-colored dental work of the upper front teeth (upper middle); a white wristwatch (upper left); a white clip-on earring (upper right); black hair extensions with a purple ponytail holder; and a white and black hairclip (lower right); a gold-colored sandal, size 7 (lower left); Almost Famous brand jean shorts size 5; and a black bra.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police still have not been able to identify a woman whose skeletal remains were discovered last week on Houston's south side.

The remains were discovered September 17 in the overgrown parking lot of a vacant building at 6303 Cullen. Police found a series of items near the body including a white wrist watch, a size 7 gold-colored sandal and a white clip-on earring.

Police say the woman was between 30 and 45 years old and she had decorative gold-colored dental work on her upper front teeth.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Missing 21-year-old Houston woman found safe

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police said a missing woman was found safe Sunday after disappearing in the Galleria area for a few hours.

The woman had last been seen at Club Roxy in the 5300 block of West Alabama early Sunday.

Police launched a search for her and she was found safe around 9:40am, officials said.

No other details were immediately released.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Autopsy: Body found in NE Houston is missing woman

  HOUSTON -- Houston police have detained a man for questioning in the death of a woman whose body was found in an overgrown vacant lot.

Medical examiners on Tuesday identified the victim as 48-year-old Norma Jean Scott. Her nude body was discovered Monday night by volunteers with Texas EquuSearch. Further details on the cause of death were not immediately released.

The woman was reported missing after relatives raised concerns that a man last Thursday allegedly forced Scott from her home.

Police spokesman John Cannon says a man described as a person of interest in the case was being held on unrelated charges. His name and further details were not immediately available.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here