Man charged after being accused of shooting ex-girlfriend to death with children present
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man was charged after his ex-girlfriend was shot and killed in front of two small children in southeast Houston, according to police.
Richard Hemphill was charged with capital murder and denied of bail after prosecutors called him a community threat, court records show.
Charging documents show Hemphill asked for a $40,000 bond, which was denied after the judge noted the victim was afraid of him because they had a "violent relationship."
Investigators said the 27-year-old is believed to be the father of one of the children who were present during their mother's death.
On Dec. 1, officers with the Houston Police Department responded to shooting at an apartment complex in the 7400 block of Calhoun Road at about 4 a.m.
One neighbor told Eyewitness News in a previous report that she heard loud noises before police arrived.
"We heard the shots at 4 (a.m.)," a neighbor said. "We heard, 'Pow! Pow! Pow!' Then we heard, 'BOOM!'"
Prosecutors said video shows Hemphill went to his ex-girlfriend's home and tried to get inside.
Charging documents read that the woman fired a shot while Hemphill was trying to break in.
Investigators said he went to his vehicle, returned, and approached the woman's window to begin firing at her from outside with an AR long gun.
When officers arrived, they found her shot multiple times in the back and medics rushed her to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Ex-boyfriend sought after woman shot and killed through apartment window in SE Houston, police say
Investigators said the woman was in the apartment with her sister, her current boyfriend, his relative, and two young children.
Investigators believe Hemphill fired four to five rounds, then ran away from the Wesley Square Apartments.
No one else inside the apartment was hurt, including the children.
According to the Texas Council of Family Violence, in 2021, domestic violence in Harris County led to 47 people dying, the most in any county in Texas.
If you need help getting out of a domestic violence situation, call the Houston Area Women's Center 24/7 hotline at 713-528-2121 or call AVDA at 713-224-9911. You can also click here to chat with an advocate online. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and need help, call 713-528-3625.
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