Boyfriend charged in alleged shooting

By David Taylor / Managing Editor

CROSBY, Texas — A 26-year-old woman was found dead early Sunday morning after a reported shooting at a home in the Crosby area, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to a “shooting in progress” call around 4:15 a.m. at a residence in the 3000 block of Kennings near Bohemian Hall Road, authorities said. When they arrived, investigators found the woman inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to deputies, the owner of the home called 911 and reported that someone entered the residence, attacked him, and then shot his girlfriend. The woman had been staying at the home for approximately three weeks, officials said. The caller did not provide descriptions of the suspected attacker or attackers at the time.

Officials interviewed the homeowner later Sunday and believed it was the homeowner who shot his girlfriend.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office detectives say Christopher Thomas was charged with murder in the death of Myrtle Spells. The two had been in a dating relationship and detectives have not revealed a motive for Thomas allegedly firing several shots into his girlfriend killing her.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said additional details were not immediately available as detectives continued to collect evidence and work to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.

Court documents show he used a firearm with an extended magazine. Aggravating charges were added to his case because he shot her multiple times.

It’s not the first time Thomas has had run-ins with the legal system. In 1997, he was convicted of burglary of a vehicle and spent 30 days in jail. Two years later, Thomas received a conviction and probation for a drug offense in 1999 and completed his probation in 2005. Thomas returned to court in 2019 to face a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated offense, but the case was dismissed after the case could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Bond was referred to the District Court by the magistrate and the state is requesting a bond of $1 million.