Man charged with capital murder in deaths of 6 children, 2 adults expected in court {Update}
A mass murder leaves eight people dead, including six children, inside a northwest Harris County home.
48-year-old David Conley has been charged with at least three counts of capital murder.
Investigators say Conley has a history of domestic violence.
"It's a difficult day," said HCSO Chief Deputy T. Cannon during a news conference on Sunday afternoon. "Once again, a senseless tragedy has struck our community, leaving us grief-stricken."
During the conference, the victims were identified as Valerie Jackson, 40, Dwyane Jackson, 50, and six children. The names of the children are Nathaniel, Honesty, Dwayne Jr., Caleb, Trinity and Jonah. The youngest child was 6 years old while the oldest was 13. The oldest, Nathaniel, was Conley's own son.
Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived to the home on Falling Oaks Road near Fire Hills Drive after someone requested a welfare check on the family inside the home.
No one answered the door after deputies arrived.
When deputies learned that a warrant was issued for Conley's arrest for assault of family members and that he might have been inside the house, they began looking through windows and saw a child on the floor not breathing.
Four deputies then went inside the house through an unlocked door and shots were fired at them, causing them to run from the home.
After several hours in a standoff, members of the HCSO High Risk Operations Unit and Hostage Negotiation Team negotiated Conley's surrender. Conley walked outside, surrendered and was arrested without incident. Deputies entered the home and found eight people murdered including two adults and six children. It's a scene that is tough even for veteran law enforcement officers to witness.
"It's a hard job being a patrolman in this town," said HCSO Deputy Thomas Gilliland. "Our deputies do a yeoman's job every day, but when they are forced to see some of the most horrific things of this nature, especially children, is someone so callous to do something like this to children, we have our family assistance to talk with our deputies and help them decompress."
The motive for the murders appears to be related to the previous domestic relationship between Conley and Valerie Jackson.
Three counts of capital murder were filed against Conley, specifically, murder of a child under the age of 10, murder of multiple people and murder in addition to another felony, in this case, burglary.
"When I saw the police cars at my friend's house, I texted my friend asking if he was OK," said 14-year-old Andrew Silva with tears in his eyes. "I never heard back from him. I'm heartbroken to know he was killed, he was dead and couldn't answer my text."