"SHE WAS A GOOD MOTHER" Son remembers mother who was allegedly stabbed by his brother
HUMBLE, Texas (KTRK) -- Vertie Hamilton was 79 years old. She lost her husband in October and was housing her son, Garry Jenkins, after he was released from prison.
Now he's charged with killing her and investigators believe they know the motive. Her younger son, Arthur Jenkins, is coming home from California to arrange Hamilton's funeral.
"She was a good mother," Arthur told Eyewitness via telephone. "She raised me mostly by herself."
Arthur said he doesn't want to waste his energy thinking about what his brother, a convicted felon, is alleged to have done. But he is at a loss.
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"The one person in the world that was always on his team, he lashes out on, you know," he said. "It's a cowardly thing."
Garry was arrested at a bus stop after a man recognized him as the person of interest in Hamilton's death at a nearby intersection. The man called 9-1-1 and followed Jenkins to a grocery store parking lot until police arrived.
This came after an exhaustive search of the neighborhood on Monday and the discovery of surveillance video. Police took it into custody thinking it might be relevant to the crime.
Hamilton's next door neighbor Jose Dixon found her body in the house after checking on her well-being. A long-time friend of the family, Dixon wants justice and is glad Jenkins is off the street.
"I consider him dangerous for what he did," Dixon said. "If he'd kill his mother what would he do to you and me."
Jenkins next faces a judge for probable cause. While his family moves to the task of burying the woman who raised him.
