Woman and Child, 7, Shot and Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide by Their ‘Depressed’ Husband and Father: Police

A tragic double homicide-suicide unfolded overnight at an apartment complex in Katy, Texas, claiming the lives of a 43-year-old woman and her 7-year-old son in what appears to be a murder-suicide perpetrated by the woman’s 42-year-old husband and the child’s father.

Harris County Deputy Sheriffs responded to a home in the 20100 block of Park Row Boulevard early Saturday morning after the couple’s 19-year-old daughter—who was unharmed—alerted them to the scene. Upon arrival, officers found the mother and child fatally shot in the child’s bedroom; the father was discovered critically injured in the same location.
The woman and her son were declared dead at the scene. The man was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Investigators recovered the weapon used at the scene.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) indicated the man had been battling unemployment and depression, possibly even receiving treatment in recent weeks. A family member told police that his mental health had deteriorated amid job loss and other personal issues. During a press briefing, Sheriff Gonzalez emphasized that while the man had sought help, “today we don’t know what transpired that led him to take this type of action”

At the time of the incident, the couple’s 19-year-old daughter and her boyfriend were in another part of the home; both survived unharmed. Investigators have interviewed them as part of the homicide investigation, which remains active .
Homicide units, detectives, and crime scene investigators are processing the scene, gathering evidence, and coordinating with local laboratory resources. The HCSO has not yet released the identities of the deceased, pending notification of next of kin. Community leaders and mental health advocates are urging anyone facing depression or unemployment to seek help, noting that Texas resources such as the Crisis Text Line (text “STRENGTH” to 741‑741) are available.

Authorities are appealing for witnesses or those with information to come forward as evidence continues to be processed and examined.