Family pleads for info in woman's murder at bus stop

HOUSTON

Police are still searching for leads and the victim's family is looking for closure.

A small memorial has been placed outside a bus stop shelter on West Tidwell where Sadie Butler's children say their mother was found murdered last month.

"She was the sweetest person. Everyone loved her," said her daughter, Erica Boutte.

Butler's family says everyone who knew the 57-year-old woman affectionately called her by her middle name, "Darlene." They are now wondering who beat Butler up, shot her, and left her at this bus stop to die.

"She didn't have any known enemies, so that's why we are puzzled as to what happened to her," Boutte said.

Detectives say Butler left her daughter's apartment on Gulf Bank at around 4:30am on June 9. She told family she was walking to another relative's house about a mile away.

"She was known to walk to where she would have to go," said Boutte.

The family says Butler never took METRO transit and police say this bus stop was four miles out of her way. Now loved ones are wondering whether Butler trusted someone for a ride before her murder.

Detectives tell us a possible witness who saw the woman's body on this bus stop went up the street to a gas station to report it to someone else. They say that second person called 911.

Detectives say they want to track down that initial witness, hoping it could help in the investigation.

"We know this individual that reported it to the reportee was a black male driving a newer model dark blue or black Chevy Impala," said HPD Officer Mark Coleman.

For now, Butler's grieving family is pleading for the public's help.

"We just want answers. Why? You know, we're all hurting," said her daughter, Priscilla Caldwell.

If you have any information in this case, you are asked to call HPD Homicide Division or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.