HOUSTON – An accused killer remained jailed Monday after authorities say he shot and killed a 61-year-old Austin woman who was in Houston to support a friend undergoing cancer treatment.
Loved ones identified the victim as Marietta Allison. Investigators say she was robbed and carjacked Friday night in Houston’s Heights neighborhood after dropping her friend off near an apartment building following her friend’s chemotherapy treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
A prosecutor told the court the suspect, 18-year-old Darius Hall, confessed to evading police and admitted being in the vehicle, but denied involvement in the shooting.
“He does confess that he did get into an evading that night, it was in the vehicle, and then broke into that apartment and got rid of his clothing, but he denied any knowledge of the shooting or the capital murder.”
Hall appeared in court Saturday morning on a capital murder charge and was ordered held without bond. A judge set his next hearing for Feb. 23.
“At this time, you’re going to be set at no bond,” the judge said.
Friends described Allison as the kind of person who put others first, traveling to Houston to be with the friend she considered a sister during chemotherapy.
“She cut her trip short from Istanbul to take care of her friend when she was diagnosed with cancer and that is who she was,” friend Karin Galindo said. “She was an amazing soul, a bright, bright light in this world, lived her life to the fullest in abundance, lived her life like every day was her last.”
Another friend recalled Allison’s warmth and generosity.
“Marietta was so rooted in love for every single person on this planet regardless of what walk of life you came from,” the friend said.
Houston police say Allison had just parked and was walking toward the apartment near West 20th Street and Lawrence Street when a masked man approached, attempted to steal her purse and opened fire after she resisted. The gunshot struck Allison in the neck, authorities said.
Police say the suspect fled in Allison’s vehicle. About 45 minutes later, officers located the car and pursued it for roughly 10 miles before the vehicle crashed. Investigators say the suspect then entered an empty apartment and a SWAT standoff followed, ending when the suspect surrendered.
Prosecutors say Hall has a juvenile criminal history and was on probation for aggravated robbery, motor vehicle theft and aggravated assault. He also faces charges of tampering with evidence and evading in the capital murder case.
Court records and prosecutors say Hall picked up an underage girl after stealing the car. The girl told police Hall had two guns in the vehicle and used expletives when asked where he got the car, according to prosecutors.