Mother hoping son's murder is next to be solved as HPD clears large homicide caseload

ByNick Natario KTRK logo

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

HPD improves clearing homicide cases, but for a mom, pain still stings

Houston police data shows that the department is making strides and solving homicide cases. One that remains unsolved, though, continues to bring pain to the victim's mother.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- One year after her son was killed at a gas station, a Houston mom still cannot shake the pain caused by her son's death.

Clutching her favorite photo of her son, Candace Cloud wishes she could tell him one more thing.

"I love you," Cloud said. "I struggle with that because I wonder if he knows just how much I loved him."

Officers say 30-year-old Cameron Harris was killed while he was getting gas at a station on Jensen Drive and Tidwell Road.

Surveillance footage captured the brutal scene. Two vehicles pull into the station, and someone inside starts shooting. Officers believe Harris may have been targeted for his jewelry and a new truck.

"I think about that every day," Cloud said. "Every night before I lay down and go to sleep, I see that."

It's a case that's stuck with Detective Justin Brown. "It stands out because it is particularly brutal," Brown explained. "They fire at him before asking him for anything, and he's shot on the ground."

Harris' case remains unsolved.

But the Houston Police Department has said that they are making progress with other cases. In 2020, HPD cleared about half the homicide caseload. In 2022, it is at 64%. When factoring in cases where officers know the suspect, it's even better.

It was only 60% of homicide cases in 2020. This year, 81% of homicide case officers know about the suspect.

Statistics Cloud would like to get even better. "Cameron didn't deserve that," she said. "Nobody deserves that."

There is a $5,000 reward available for any information leading to an arrest. Clouds said she hopes someone sees this interview and provides the tip the officers need.

Anyone with any information can call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. A phone call that Cloud hopes is soon to come.

"They didn't just take Cameron away when they killed him," Cloud explained. "They took a part of me. He has a 1-year-old daughter that'll never get to know her dad. He has a brother. He has other family members. Cameron was loved."

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