Sunday, December 9, 2012

Man at large after fatally shooting driver in face

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say a killer who shot a man in cold blood moments after a heated argument is now on the loose.

The victim was shot in the face around 9:20pm Friday on Joliet near Uvalde in southeast Houston.

Police say the victim and his killer were both inside a truck when they got into an argument.

The victim stopped the truck and got out. That's when witnesses say they could hear the men yelling at each other.

According to investigators, the victim opened the door of the truck and the passenger shot him at least twice. He died at the scene. His name has not been released.

The killer took off in the vehicle, which is described as a black two-door pickup.

Anyone with information on this crime can call Houston police or Crime Stoppers.

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


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Man, son, daughter charged with robbery in Katy area

AP  RICHMOND, TX -- A Houston-area man, his daughter and his son have been indicted over a credit union robbery by armed thieves in disguises.

Fort Bend County records show 50-year-old Ronald Catt, 20-year-old Hayden Catt and 18-year-old Abigail Catt were being held Friday on aggravated robbery charges. The men were jailed on bond of $140,000 apiece. The daughter's bond is $100,000.

Online jail records don't list attorneys for the Catts, who were arrested Nov. 9 and indicted Monday.

First Community Credit Union in the Katy area was robbed by two gunmen wearing orange traffic vests and sunglasses. One man had a fake moustache. The other wore a painter's mask. Abigail Catt allegedly drove the getaway vehicle.

Investigators are reviewing similar robberies in Texas and the Portland, Ore., area, where the Catts formerly lived.

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


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Boy, 3, dies in Magnolia mobile home fire

  MAGNOLIA, TX (KTRK) -- A fire in Montgomery County killed a three-year-old boy Saturday morning.

It happened just after1am at a 30-foot travel trailer mobile home in the 19000 block of Todd Road near F.M. 1488, west of Magnolia.

The Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office says three-year-old Dakota Myers and his 10-year-old cousin were asleep. Dakota's mother tells us she was next door when the home burst into flames.

As soon Dakota's mother and her neighbors smelled the smoke and saw the flames, they tried to save the children, but the flames were too intense.

Neighbors reportedly ran into the home. Some of them even burned themselves while trying to save the boys.

"Several attempts were made, not only by firefighters, but by family members and friends to get in the travel trailer, but not successful," said Scott Burlin, Assistant Fire Marshal in Montgomery County. "Too much fire and flame."

The 10-year-old managed to get out of the home, but the three-year-old did not.

Firefighters eventually got the blaze under control and gained entry, but Dakota was already dead. His body was found in a back room.

The 10-year-old and another adult at the scene were treated for smoke inhalation.

There is no word yet on what started the fire, but investigators say the home was not equipped with any working smoke detectors. Working smoke detectors are especially important in homes with small children or elderly residents, officials say. Children under four and the elderly are four times more likely to die in a home fire than the average person, according to the fire marshal's office.

The boy's grandmother, Sheila Landreneau, barely had words Saturday to describe the family's loss.

"Koty was special. Very special," she said. "He's going to be missed so much. I just can't believe something like this happened to him, because it's not right."

Please stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for more information as it becomes available.

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


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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. 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 »


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Suspected shoplifter shot by deputy dies at apartment

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There's new information in the fatal shooting of a suspected shoplifter at a Houston Walmart. Two women have now been charged, but the investigation is far from over.

The shooting happened just after 10pm Thursday at the Walmart off the North Freeway and West Road. The woman killed was found in a car at an apartment complex off Greens Parkway.

Authorities say a total of three women were stealing from the Walmart -- Tiasa Andrews, charged with robbery and assault of a public servant; Yolanda Craig, charged with robbery; and Shelly Frey was shot and killed by a Harris County Sheriff's deputy working security when the trio tried to get away.

"I was right there by my stairway when I heard all the screaming," witness Angel Gaines recalled.

Gaines didn't expect such commotion outside her apartment so late Thursday night, but she soon discovered one of her neighbor's relatives, bleeding to death, in a parked car.

"She said some security officer shot her at Walmart on West Road," Gaines said. "She needed help or something. She was trying to find somebody to help her."

According to investigators, a uniformed Harris County deputy, Louis Campbell, was working an extra job at Walmart Thursday night when two loss prevention officers alerted him to potential shoplifters -- women stuffing merchandise in their purses.

Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Deputy Thomas Gilliland said, "He confronted the suspects at exit of the store before they left. One female wouldn't stop, struck the deputy with her purse, ran off."

Deputy Campbell followed the women to their car in the store parking lot to try to stop them.

"When the vehicle took off, he was standing between the door frame and the driver. I think it knocked him off balance and in fear for his life, being run over, he discharged his weapon at that point," Deputy Gilliland explained.

The driver kept going, arriving at her apartment, where Gaines and her neighbors heard that screaming, wishing they never had.

"You know, there could have been another way around it, of getting her to stop, anything but pulling the trigger," said neighbor Calvin Mitchell.

Gaines said, "I just wish the officer didn't shoot her. I wish he would've just shot her tires or something just to slow her down."

Deputy Campbell is on three days paid leave as is standard protocol. He's been with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for 26 years. The Harris County Sheriff's Homicide Unit, Office of the Inspector General and the Harris County District Attorney's Office will investigate this incident. The case will be turned over to a grand jury.

Walmart offered the following statement: "This is a tragic situation and we recognize this is a difficult time for all parties involved. We're committed to working with law enforcement and providing any information we have as they determine the facts of the case. Because this is an active investigation, any specific details of the incident should come from law enforcement.

We hire off duty officers to provide security to some of our stores. While we have policies in place for our associates to disengage from situations that might put them or others in harm's way, off-duty officers working at a WM store are authorized to act in accordance with their department's code of conduct."

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


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Woman crashes car into building, flees

A search is underway for a woman who police say took her friends car without permission and then crashed it into a building in east Houston. A search is underway for a woman who police say took her friend's car without permission and then crashed it into a building in east Houston.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police are searching for the woman who crashed a car into a building in east Houston Thursday afternoon, then fled the scene.

The wreck happened around 4:45pm off Sonora near Calles.

Police say a woman took her friend's car without permission and ended up crashing into a building housing a man's collectibles.

The woman and a passenger inside the car ran from the scene, and police are now searching for them.

Meanwhile, the Houston Fire Department has blocked off entry to the building until engineers can assess the damage.

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


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Colder weather is headed to Houston!

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A cold front is coming, so don't let it take you by surprise on Monday morning.

The coldest air since mid-February is on its way to Houston, but don't expect to feel any cold air while you're out and about this weekend. First we'll have to endure record warmth, bouts of morning fog, and a few afternoon showers.

It now appears the cold front will move through southeast Texas late Sunday night and early Monday morning with a line of storms, gusty winds, and much colder temperatures.

You'll need your warm winter coat next week as temperatures drop down near the freezing mark.

Stay with ABC13 Eyewitness News all weekend long for the latest weather information. And keep weather at your fingertips with our free ABC13 apps for your iPhone, iPad and Droid devices.

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


weather, travis herzog

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