Man's autopsy report released in deadly no-knock raid

Jessica Willey Image
Friday, May 3, 2019
Husband and wife killed in shootout with HPD officers
"IT'S A SAD SITUATION" The sister of Dennis Tuttle says he suffered debilitating injuries for many years. He and wife Rhogena Nicholas (right) were killed Monday in a shootout with police.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A day after autopsy reports revealed a woman's cause of death in a botched drug raid, just released reports show her husband died of multiple gunshot wounds when police opened fire inside their southeast Houston home.

The autopsy report from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences shows Dennis Tuttle, 59, was shot in the neck, leaving injuries to his head and chin.

Tuttle was also shot in the chest, left hand, shoulder and buttocks, and right wrist.

HPD WARRANT: Informant didn't buy drugs from suspects killed in police shootout

Examiners also found Tuttle suffered blunt force injuries to the head, neck and torso.

Houston police said the raid on the home he shared with wife Rhogena Nicholas, 58, stemmed from numerous complaints from neighbors.

Undercover officers alleged they made two purchases of black tar heroin previously from drug dealers at the house. According to Tuttle's toxicology report, he had THC in his system at the time of the shooting. Drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and opiates were not detected in his blood.

SEE ALSO: What we know about husband and wife killed in Houston officer-involved shooting

Nearly three weeks after the shooting, a search warrant revealed a confidential HPD informant hadn't purchased drugs from the home at all, as reported by now-retired Officer Gerald Goines, and that information used to obtain the no-knock search warrant that led up to the deadly shooting involved a number of lies.

Goines and his partner, Steven Bryant, retired under investigation. Dozens of their drug cases have been dismissed based on potential credibility issues.

Thursday afternoon, Houston police said they expect their investigation to be completed and turned over to the Harris County District Attorney's Office by mid-May. The FBI is also investigating.

HPD DRUG RAID TIMELINE: Before the raid to now

NOTE: Video in this story from previously published report.

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