Liputan6.com, Jakarta - A tragic incident rocked Houston's upscale River Oaks neighborhood when four people were found dead from gunshot wounds in a home on Monday, May 4, 2026.
The horrific incident came to light after police received a call for a welfare check on a family member who had been unreachable since Sunday night.
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The victims were identified as two adults and two children, members of the Mitchell family.
The Houston Police Department (HPD) is investigating the case as a suspected murder-suicide, with Matthew Mitchell, the father, named as the primary suspect.
The incident happened at 2113 Kingston Street, a well-known safe area of Houston, Texas, with the discovery of the bodies around 5:36 p.m. local time.
Timeline of the Tragic Discovery in Houston
Authorities first received reports of the incident around 5:25 or 5:26 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2026, after a babysitter and a relative contacted HPD.
They were concerned about not being able to contact the Mitchell family since Sunday night, prompting the welfare check.
Police officers immediately responded to the call and arrived at the scene of the incident, a home at 2113 Kingston Street, River Oaks, Houston, at 5:36 p.m.
Upon entering the home, officers found the four individuals unresponsive with gunshot wounds.
The shooting is believed to have happened sometime between Sunday night, when the family was last seen or heard from, and Monday afternoon, when they were found.
"This does look like a family matter, but that doesn't make it any better," Detective L. Brooks told reporters during a news conference after the discovery. "It's terrible... shocking for sure."
Identities of the Victims in Houston
The four victims found deceased are a 52-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman, an 8-year-old girl, and a 4-year-old boy.
Although official identities are still pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, the property has been linked to Matthew and Thy Mitchell.
Thy Mitchell's sister, Ly Mai, confirmed in a Facebook post that Thy and her two children, Maya and Max, have died.
Maya Mitchell was a student at River Oaks Elementary School, adding to the grief of this loss for the school community.
Matthew and Thy Mitchell were well-known in Houston as the owners of the prominent restaurants, Traveler's Table and Traveler's Cart, located in Montrose.
Their restaurants have even been featured on several Food Network programs, including "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," and one of their chefs even beat Bobby Flay in 2023.
Houston HPD Investigation of Suspected Murder-Suicide
The Houston Police Department (HPD) is actively investigating this incident as a possible murder-suicide.
Initial evidence recovered at the scene indicates that 52-year-old Matthew Mitchell allegedly shot all three members of his family before turning the gun on himself.
Matthew Mitchell has been named a suspect in this tragic case by Houston police, but the motive behind this fatal shooting remains unofficial and remains the focus of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities believe this incident was a family-only incident involving the Mitchell family and that there is no further threat to the public.
For anyone with additional information regarding this case, HPD urges them to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.
Additionally, support is available for those facing domestic violence through the hotline 1-800-799-7233, or through the suicide and crisis hotline at 988.