HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A man and a woman were killed Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
It happened at a house on Rain Willow Court in southwest Harris County. The house where the shootings happened is in a neighborhood just north of the Beltway near Almeda Road.
According to investigators, the 22-year-old man called his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend earlier in the day and showed up at her house around 3 p.m.
They went to her bedroom, and about 10 minutes later, other family members in the house said they heard gunshots.
When they went to check out what happened, they saw the woman had been shot and the man still had the gun. Family members identified the woman as Tamara Sawyer, who was studying to be a nurse.
As the family members were calling 911, they told investigators they heard more gunshots. When authorities showed up at the house, they found the man and Sawyer dead in the bedroom.
Authorities said Sawyer and the man had been in an on-and-off relationship since high school. Family members said Sawyer and the man broke up about a month ago.
There were three other people inside the house at the time of the shootings, including the woman's current boyfriend, authorities said. No one else was injured.
Family members said there were no signs of domestic violence between Sawyer and the man.
Sawyer was described by her family members as being a very sweet person who loved fashion. She was originally from Ohio but moved to Houston where she was raised by her aunt. She was the youngest in her family and graduated from Madison High School.
Here's the update investigators provided at the scene:
Domestic violence resources
Domestic and family violence cases in the Houston area have increased at an alarming rate. Victims often suffer in silence because they feel scared, helpless or ashamed.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, here are some discreet ways to reach out for help.
The Houston Area Women’s Center has a 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence at 713-528-2121 or 1-800-256-0551.
The Family Time Crisis Center can also be reached 24 hours a day at 281-446-2615.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 88788.