Former neighbor claims Cypress murder suspect pointed rifle at his home years ago

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A former neighbor of the man accused of murdering a woman last week was not surprised to hear that authorities charged him with capital murder.

Christopher Braziel, 42, arrived in court Tuesday, three days after he was arrested, with hands and feet shackled.

Investigators accuse Braziel of shooting Heather Smith, a neighbor in the Hearthstone neighborhood who lives a few streets over from him.

INITIAL REPORT: Couple encounters capital murder suspect in garage after woman was found dead in NW Harris Co.

"I woke up at 6 in the morning to a text message from a neighbor that I've been in contact with, who has known Chris for years," Wayne LaFlamme, Braziel's former neighbor, said. "At first, when I read the texts, it was just a news article, and I'm pretty sure all it said was, 'He finally did it.' I had to call him to find out. 'What are you talking about?' and he said, 'Chris finally killed somebody. They just arrested him. He did it. He got caught on camera. I've seen the footage. He finally did it.' I was pacing around my house. I woke my kids up to tell them."

For two years, LaFlamme, his wife, and two children lived next door to Braziel, who lives with his mother.

At that time, LaFlamme said several unsettling incidents involving Braziel and the neighbors had happened. Some involved firearms.

LaFlamme became concerned about his and his family's safety and set motion detectors for his surveillance cameras to alert him on his phone.

On Aug. 19, 2022, just after midnight, he said he got an alert on his phone that there was motion at his front door. When he looked at his cameras, he said he saw Braziel with a rifle pointed at his home.

"He takes a prone position with a rifle, and you can see the rifle. And then he turns towards my house, towards the garage, and towards my son's bedroom," LaFlamme recalled.

He said that at that moment, he woke up his wife with the thought of calling the police, but if they did, they would have to leave their home for their safety.

LaFlamme called the police, and Braziel was charged with misdemeanor deadly conduct. He was released on a $100 bond hours later.

The LaFlammes spent the last night at their home after that. They stayed with friends, and roughly two months later, he said they sold their house out of fear of what Braziel might do next.

During the case, Braziel did not show up to court several times, and court records show he tested positive for amphetamines, methamphetamine, and THC while he was out on bail. His bond was not revoked.

According to court records, he ultimately took a couple of classes, and the charges were dismissed on August 30, 2023.

Smith, who also lived in the neighborhood, was killed on Aug. 29, 2024.

According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, a family member said they hadn't heard from Smith and went to check on her. Once he arrived, court records said he noticed the apparent damage to the front door and found Smith dead.

Court records said Smith was shot multiple times with a firearm with an extended magazine.

Surveillance video from the victim's Hearthstone neighborhood home shows an armed Braziel arriving at Smith's house just minutes after she entered, court records said.

"If they had kept pursuing it, didn't drop it, would he have been in jail this week or next week? There's probably an argument for that," LaFlamme said.

LaFlamme is frustrated with the criminal justice system that he believes dropped the ball on his case.

Despite speaking about the possibility of Braziel's behavior escalating with authorities during his case, LaFlamme is still shaken up by the news of the murder.

"I'm convinced now that if we hadn't moved out, if he hadn't gotten arrested, he definitely would have killed my wife, for sure. If not, all of us," he said.

The district attorney's office declined to comment.

Following the discovery, a couple revealed to ABC13 that less than 48 hours later, Braziel arrived at their home armed with a loaded gun. Braziel responded that he "was at the wrong house" and left when asked if he was looking for someone. Video footage from a cellphone was used to identify Braziel as the suspect.

Investigators said they are still looking for a possible motive.

When asked about a possible relationship between Smith and Braziel in court, the prosecutor said there was allegedly a situation between Smith's son and the suspect three years ago, but no further explanation was given.

Braziel is expected to have a hearing in the next couple of weeks, during which a judge could set his bond. However, officials said he was held without bail and will remain in custody.