Mother of 6 killed in domestic violence shooting was trying to leave husband, family says
KATY, Texas (KTRK) -- As the man accused of shooting his wife to death faces a judge, the victim's family is speaking about the tense days their loved one faced leading up to her murder in a Katy-area neighborhood.
The family held a memorial over the weekend for Valerie Junius, who deputies say was shot and killed by her husband.
Family and neighbors gathered outside the home on Roaring Oaks Lane in Katy, where Junius was killed on Thursday.
"She didn't know she was walking into this," said her cousin Treshawnda Junius.
Her husband, Lawrence Reed, was arrested and charged with murder. He was due in a Harris County courtroom Monday.
"She was going to leave him. She was tired," Treshawnda said.
According to her cousin, Junius was staying in Chicago, where she's originally from, with family and friends for about a month.
Her cousin said Junius returned home the day before she was murdered.
"He knew it was over when she stayed in Chicago for as long as she stayed," Treshawnda said. "He knew it was over. He killed her. He didn't give her a chance."
Junius leaves behind six children, ranging in age from 20 to 4 years old.
Two of the children were also struck by bullets and survived.
"Her kids don't deserve this," Treshawnda said.
Domestic violence has become a troubling trend in the area, with the Harris County Sheriff's Office telling ABC13 they have seen a major uptick in cases in 2021.
"If you have family that are unhappy in relationships, I urge you to stand by them," Treshawnda said. "I wish I called my cousin. I wish I called her."
The family is asking for donations to help with expenses for the six children Junius leaves behind. If you want to help the family, you can donate on this Gofundme page.
GET HELP: 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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