Police say Jamie Anne Skelton, 40, admitted to having a knife for protection. Police say when her lover made his way into her apartment, he was stabbed. Police are still piecing together the evidence on this case. Authorities believe the man's body may have been in the apartment since late Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, neighbors say they are shocked.
Gloria Mitchell says she went to the apartment Thursday to ask Skelton, who she calls a friend, for a cigarette. She says usually that means coming up for a visit.
"I didn't even get upstairs -- make it upstairs," she said.
"She told you to stay downstairs," we asked.
"Yes," she replied.
Mitchell says even more bizarre was a conversation she had Thursday night.
"She said, 'Have you ever done something that, you know, you wanted to tell someone?' I said, 'A longtime ago.' You know, I had some problems as a child. She said, 'I want to tell you. I want to tell you so bad but I can't.' She said, 'It's going to be on your conscience.' I said, 'You don't have to tell me. I said, 'I'll pray for you and know that I love you,'" Mitchell recalled.
But according to HPD investigators, a few hours after hanging up with Mitchell, Skelton called another friend. This time police say she told that friend about a dead body inside her apartment. That friend called 911.
When police arrived they found a man's body lying on the suspect's kitchen floor with a stab wound. Police believe the body was likely there two or three days.
"A knife was recovered," said Officer Mike Burrow with the Houston Police Department. "We don't know with certainty if it is the weapon used in the crime."
Neighbors believe the victim was a friend.
"I don't know if I could say I seen it coming," said one. "It's sad."
The 28-year-old victim hasn't been identified. Skelton is in police custody and has been charged with murder.
