Slain woman's mother shares daughter's story in hopes of saving others

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The man accused of killing a paramedic inside her home is on the run. And the victim's mother has a warning for other women that she hopes will save a life.

Longtime paramedic Melissa Morden was murdered inside her Humble apartment Friday. Investigators say Troy Clay II killed her.

"He used to live across the street from us when they were kids," said Morden's mother, Patricia Morden.

The two reconnected on Facebook. She let him crash at her place while he got on his feet, and they ended up dating.

"If we had had any inclination that he was capable of anything like this, we would have immediately stepped in," Patricia said.

Patricia says Clay called her Saturday and said he'd killed her.

"He gave me very graphic details of what had transpired," she said.

She found her daughter's body. Court documents say she was stabbed, and Troy Clay II was long-gone.

"Later, he advised me that he was gonna turn himself in," she said.

But according to the charging documents, he told a friend he was almost to Florida. Investigators say there's a regional search for him. In the meantime, Patricia Morden's mom has a warning for women.

"Please do not date anybody without doing a criminal background check," Morden said.

A quick search of Clay would have turned up several assault charges involving previous girlfriends, and a protective order that he violated last year. Hindsight, she says, is 20-20. But hopefully she hopes it'll save someone else's daughter.