Officials say a 72-year-old homeowner died in a shootout; two suspects are charged with capital murder.
HOUSTON, Texas — A 72-year-old woman was shot and killed during a home invasion early Monday in Houston’s Kashmere Gardens neighborhood, and the case is raising questions about why one suspect remained on parole after a recent felony conviction. Two suspects are hospitalized and charged with capital murder, police said.
The killing, reported around 1:50 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26, in the 4000 block of Lockwood Drive, has touched off a broader debate over supervision decisions. Police identified the suspects as Richard Mouton, 34, and Tajuana Thomas, 38. Mouton, a three-time convicted felon who had been on parole, had also missed a court appearance days before the shooting, according to case summaries discussed by local advocates. Crime Stoppers questioned why parole was not revoked or bonds increased after a 2023 felony evading arrest conviction. The parole board and courts have not publicly addressed the timing decisions in this case.
Investigators said a masked man and woman entered the home before dawn Monday and exchanged gunfire with the homeowner. The woman, 72, was fatally wounded. Police said the suspects were also shot and taken to a hospital, where they were placed in custody. “It’s always disturbing that you could be on parole, get a felony conviction, and still be on parole and not have your parole revoked,” Crime Stoppers director Andy Kahan said. Authorities said others were inside the home but did not appear to fire shots. The victim’s name had not been released as of Tuesday pending notification of relatives. Detectives continued canvassing for cameras in the Lockwood and Crane area and reviewing shell casings.
Officials said both suspects face capital murder charges connected to the home invasion. Records show Mouton had multiple prior prison terms and was still under supervision when he picked up new felony charges last summer. Four days before the shooting, he failed to appear in court, according to advocates who track local bond and parole cases. Police said Thomas, 38, also remained hospitalized under guard. A precise motive was not clear Tuesday. Detectives are checking whether the address had prior calls for service and whether the victim knew either suspect. Ballistics tests and interviews with people who were in the home are ongoing, police said.
The incident comes amid long-running disputes in Harris County over bond decisions and parole oversight. Local officials have clashed for years over how to balance public safety with jail capacity and court backlogs. The “Breaking Bond” debate, often focused on defendants accused of new crimes while free on bond or supervision, has highlighted several cases that prompted policy reviews. In this case, advocates point to Mouton’s 2023 felony evading arrest conviction — for which he served 60 days in county jail — as a moment when parole could have been revoked or stricter conditions imposed. The parole board’s internal deliberations are generally confidential, leaving key details unknown to the public.
Police said capital murder charges were accepted Monday and that both suspects will be booked into jail when medically cleared. Detectives plan to present more findings to prosecutors this week, including ballistics comparisons and statements from witnesses who were inside the home. If either defendant is indicted, the case would be assigned to a Harris County district court, with an initial setting expected in the coming days. A medical examiner’s report — including the victim’s identity and cause of death — is expected after next-of-kin notification. Officials said they anticipate releasing additional updates after laboratory testing and interviews wrap up.
Neighbors along Lockwood described being awakened by sirens before dawn. Some placed flowers near the driveway Tuesday afternoon. “She was kind and kept to herself,” one resident said, declining to give her name. Outside the scene, yellow tape still framed the yard while investigators measured bullet paths from the porch toward the street. A city crew trimmed tree limbs around a nearby camera as detectives sought clearer angles. By evening, the front door remained boarded, and a patrol car idled at the corner while relatives spoke quietly near the curb.
As of Tuesday night, both defendants were still hospitalized and under guard, with booking expected once doctors clear them for transport. Police said their next public update could come after the medical examiner confirms the victim’s identity and lab results are returned later this week.
Author note: Last updated January 28, 2026.