HOUSTON – A man has been accused of shooting his girlfriend to death in a sport utility vehicle outside the couple's apartment in north Harris County.
The shooting was reported in the 300 block of N. Vista Road.
Family identified the victim as Ashanti Hunter, 32. Harris County sheriff's deputies accuse Hunter's 31-year-old boyfriend, Albee Lewis, of being the gunman.
Officials said Hunter was shot during a domestic dispute with Lewis. Detectives said the woman tried to get away from him and ran to the SUV. Detectives said Lewis shot Hunter several times as she sat in the front passenger's seat.
Hunter's youngest child was sitting in the vehicle, but was not hurt, investigators said.
"She left behind three kids. Three beautiful kids," said Myriane Rodrigues, Hunter's cousin.
Rodrigues told KPRC 2 she went to the couple's apartment to drop off Hunter's three children Sunday afternoon.
She said when they arrived, Hunter's children screamed that their mother and her boyfriend were fighting.
"I ran by the police to get help, knocking on everybody's door. Nobody answered their doors," Rodrigues said, choking back tears with other relatives, as she recounted what happened next. "I heard gunshots and it was my cousin in my passenger’s seat. Why would he do her this way?"
Update on homicide in north Harris County: One woman shot dead during domestic dispute with her boyfriend. Harris County Sheriff's Detectives say the woman attempted to get away from him, running to an SUV. Investigators say he shot her multiple times as she sat in the front passenger's seat. Several children witnessed the shooting, including the victim's children. They escaped without injury. Gunman turned himself in at a nearby motel on North Freeway. Names have not been released. Victim was 32 years old, gunman is 31, according to investigators.
Posted by KPRC2 Brandon Walker on Sunday, April 30, 2017
A detective from the Sheriff's Office said one of Hunter's children called 911, from an upstairs bedroom. Deputies said Lewis fled and drove to a nearby motel at the 16000 block of North Freeway.
He turned himself in a short time later.
It was unclear whether the two had a history of domestic violence, investigators said.
Lewis is charged with murder.
He is expected in court Tuesday. No bond has been set.
