The discovery was made around 1:45am near a home on Chennault near MLK. Police say 63-year-old Teresa Landry was walking to the store when she was murdered. Residents told police they knew her as 'Momma Teresa' and they can't think of any reason why someone would want to hurt her.
"She's the neighborhood grandmother. She's the neighborhood mom," said Landry's daughter, Charice Landry. "She cooks for everybody. She cleans for anybody. Anything you asked her to do, she would do."
Police received a call after a neighbor heard screaming outside.
"It was like around 1 or 1:30am, some little child was screaming, 'Mom! Mom! Mom,'" said neighbor Kevin Navarreta.
When detectives arrived, they found Landry's body face down. Her upper body showed evidence of severe trauma.
It is a shock to family and friends, who say Landry's generosity and her kindness were without limits.
"She'd give you the shirt off her back. She'd give you the shoes off her feet. She would help anyone. If you asked her to come do anything, she was there. That is the kind of person she was," said Landry's niece, Bernice Jean.
Landry had gone to the store late last night, where she regularly walked by herself. Her children think she may have been murdered for the cash in her purse; a senseless crime, especially for a woman who they say would have gladly given her money to someone in need.
"If anybody knows anything, could y'all just please let us know and let somebody know, because my mom did not harm anybody," said Landry's other daughter Andrea Landry.
Police do not have a suspect or a motive in this case. They are asking for anyone with information to call the HPD homicide division at 713-308-3600.
The Medical Examiner is still looking over Landry's body. They will make an official declaration of a cause of death and her ID later today.
