According to La Porte Police, Gordon Craig Houser was indicted by a grand jury last month for the murders of Charles and Kathy Hayes. Deputies with the US Marshal's Office and Police County, Arkansas Sheriff's Office arrested Houser at his home. He was taken into custody without incident.
A young family now lives in the home where the couple was murdered in the early morning hours of September 27, 1997.
"Living in La Porte, I love it. I feel like it's a safe town and I think by there being an arrest and people knowing how the man is connected," said resident Blanca Cameron.
Houser is charged with capital murder, accused in the double homicide of the couple.
A good friend of Charles Hayes says he always suspected Houser.
"Been fighting or something. You know, they were having problems," said neighbor Rick Loney.
Harris County prosecutors tell a similar story, Houser is a second cousin to Charles Hayes. There had been two arguments leading up to the murders, one after Charles loaned his car to Houser and Houser didn't bring it back.
The arrest is a relief on Bayer Street.
"It's good that they found the guy who did it and he'll serve his time and the family gets justice and they can put it to rest," said friend of the victims, Pat Hail.
But it doesn't change what happened there and almost two decades ago and generations who didn't even live there at the time are still talking about it.
Houser is being held without bond. If he decided to waive extradition, he'll be back within a couple of weeks.
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