Houston Crime: Woman found dead in her bed, neighbor suspected of firing at burglars

Houston shooting: Woman shot, killed in her sleep by neighbor

A woman was shot and killed in her sleep at an apartment complex of Woodland Hills in Humble on Wednesday morning. Investigators have now charged one of her neighbors who claims he was trying to shoot at some car burglars to scare them. FOX 26's Natalie Hee reports more on the details of the case.

HUMBLE, Texas - Authorities are piecing together a 28-yeawoman's death in Humble after she was found shot while still lying in bed.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says deputies were called the Generation Grove Apartments on Woodland Hills in the 14800 block of Woodland Hills Dr. Humble Wednesday morning.

Woman found dead in her bed, shooter suspected of firing at burglars

Officials are looking into the possibility that a person was shooting at suspected burglars and one of the bullets penetrated the wall, killing a woman while she was in her bed.

The woman has been identified by the Harris County Sheriff's Office as Bethany Mefford, 29. Her close friends tell FOX 26 that Bethany was holding her infant child when she was killed.

Investigators have arrested one of her neighbors, Darius Lewis, 28, who claims he was trying to shoot at some car burglars to scare them. Lewis has now been charged with manslaughter.

"Apparently suspects were attempting to steal catalytic converters in the parking lot. A resident in the apartment complex came out and shot at those suspects," said HCSO Sgt. Jason Brown.

Investigators said Lewis fired several gunshots at three suspects, two adults and a juvenile, who were attempting to steal catalytic converters from cars in the parking lot.

Paris Allen, 18, and Demarion Kelley, 20, were arrested overnight and charged with ‘burglary of a motor vehicle.’ Authorities did not release the identity of the third suspect because they are a juvenile.

Court records indicate Kelley posted a $100 bond as of Wednesday afternoon.

"At the time, no one knew that the person that shot at these suspects struck an apartment with his gunfire. This person initially reported that he had fired into the ground and no apartments or vehicles, or anything were hit," Sgt. Brown said.

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Around 7 a.m., HCSO deputies were called back to the apartment complex after Bethany Mefford's boyfriend and mom found her dead. Her loved ones said Bethany was a mother to two young children and also helped take care of her nephew.

They declined to speak on camera but told FOX 26, "this unnecessary gun violence needs to stop."

"We don’t believe it was a ricochet or a bullet that struck something and then was deflected into the apartment. We believe the bullets were fired directly into not only this female’s apartment, but also, several other apartments inside of the complex were struck," Sgt. Brown said.

HCSO said no one else in the apartment complex was injured.