Sheriff's office confirms deadly stabbing victim worked for Katy ISD

Erica Simon Image
Friday, May 20, 2022
Katy ISD employee's husband accused of stabbing wife to death
One neighbor called the stabbing "unreal." Eyewitness News has also uncovered a new detail about the victim since deputies responded to the home.

KATY, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman stabbed to death inside her home Friday morning was employed with the Katy Independent School District, Harris County Sheriff's deputies confirmed to Eyewitness News.

The victim's husband is accused of committing the killing and is in Harris County Sheriff's Office custody.

According to deputies, they received a call at about 8:40 a.m. from 39-year-old Benjamin Pierce, who told them he had stabbed his wife.

The incident happened at a home in the 3200 block of Painted Meadow Circle, near Fry Road.

At the scene, deputies found a family member and a 7-year-old boy unharmed. Investigators said the boy was home at the time of the fatal stabbing.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said a man has been detained after he allegedly stabbed his wife to death Friday morning.

Deputies said the couple may have been arguing about a divorce and child custody before some kind of altercation occurred, leading to Leslie Ann Pierce being stabbed in the foyer of the home.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

In information disclosed hours after the incident, deputies say the boy may have witnessed the assault.

"This has been an extradentary year for domestic violence, this excess of murders that we've had that have been domestic violence-related," Deputy Thomas Gilliland said. "I guess it seems a little more than usual lately."

Deputies said the 7-year-old was released to family members.

Benjamin Pierce was booked into Harris County Jail on a murder charge.

For more on this story, follow Erica Simon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.