HOUSTON – The FBI and Annapolis, Maryland police are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the death of Houston mom Michelle Cummings.
The Cummings family was in Maryland to drop off their son, Trey, at the United States Naval Academy.
On Tuesday, Michelle Cummings and her husband were on the patio of the Graduate Hotel when police say two stray bullets hit and killed Cummings.
“I’m a bit emotional with this case, because the way it happened, this is a true victim and my heart continues to go out to the family of Michelle Cummings,” said Annapolis Police Department Chief Edward Jackson.
“Her son is a [freshman] at the Naval Academy, a football player, and her husband, Mr. Cummings, my heart goes out to him,” Jackson added. “We’re going to do our very best to bring closure ... at least the legal aspect of it, to the family.”
Michelle Cummings was president of the Westfield High School Booster Club (Spring ISD) for three years.
“She impacted everybody’s life through sports,” said Sherwin Johnson, the current booster club president. “She was not only my friend, my mentor, a leader of our organization.”
Cummings led fundraising efforts to buy a giant, new blow-up tunnel for the football players that became a staple at Westfield High games.
“I mean, that was Friday night lights! And she made it possible,” Sherwin said.
Cummings had already signed up to be a team mom at the naval academy.
“Just to hear that those dreams are not going to come true, it broke my heart and every time I think about it, I just can’t believe she’s not here,” said Sherwin.
Earlier today, the @AnnapolisPD identified the woman shot and killed earlier this morning as Michelle Jordan Cummings of Houston. She was the proud mom of Midshipman Candidate Leonard Cummings III, a 2021 NAPS grad & incoming plebe (freshman) for the USNA Class of 2025.
— U.S. Naval Academy (@NavalAcademy) June 30, 2021
Spring ISD released the following statement in regards to the incident:
“We are devastated to hear about the passing of Michelle Cummings. Ms. Cummings was a very engaged parent at Westfield High School where her son Leonard “Trey” Cummings III graduated in 2020. She served in 2019-20 as the president of the Westfield High School Football Booster Club and was always ready to support our student-athletes. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Cummings family during this time of sorrow.”
Friends of the family have since set up a GoFundMe to help Michelle’s husband and son cover funeral expenses.
“Sweet. Sweetest lady,” said next-door neighbor Earnest Johnson. “Every morning we would come out here with my daughter. She speaks and my daughter loves talking to her.”
The Annapolis chief had this message for the shooter:
“We’re going to come after you,” said Jackson. “We want you to come and enjoy the city of Annapolis, but the one thing that we’re not going to tolerate is this lawlessness.”