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Family, friends remember the life of Karen Miles
FOX 26 Reporter Damali Keith spoke with the family and friends of Karen Miles after authorities confirmed her remains were found on Friday.
MISSOURI CITY, Texas - The man who's now charged with murdering Karen Miles is also being investigated in connection with the disappearance of another person who went missing in Harris County.
Miles vanished last month, and on Friday, detectives confirmed skeletal remains found last week are those of the missing mother of two from Missouri City.
"It's all still a blur. It's still very unbelievable. It still doesn't make sense. I feel like I feel her presence. I still hear her laughing," says Miles' friend, Danessa Bolling.
"It's been so hard for me to, kind of, keep moving, but I can hear her just like you said. I can hear her saying, girl you better get it together," explains Miles' friend, Dr. Conte Terrell.
"My last text was 'Pastor Evon, I love you,' because I'm always telling people I love them and that was my last text from her," says St. John's Associate Pastor, Evon Boykins. "Karen was active with our Mosaic Women's Bible Study. She was active in our women's ministry and our retreat. Just helpful, ready to serve at all times. Always smiling and loving on people."
"These were the last pictures she sent me of an event where we were, and I said, 'thank you so much. I knew you had some good ones, girl.' If she was at the event, I never had to worry about getting all the great pictures because she was going to get all kinds of angles and shots," Dr. Terrell laughed.
The other ladies chimed in saying, "She made me lazy about taking pictures, because if Karen was there I was like, 'I'm not worried about it. Karen will have it.' She was definitely going to take good pictures," adds Bolling.
"The last text she sent me was apparently the last text she sent to anybody. It was just saying to me, 'I'm going to do my part,' because we had just finished the Zoom," Terrell said.
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Karen Miles was on a Zoom committee meeting with Dr. Terrell and others until 9:30 p.m. on August 21 before she vanished. The next morning, she didn't show up for work.
Davante Clark, who's now charged with Miles' murder, was arrested in Pearland late last month. Detectives say he was driving Miles' SUV.
"Everybody loved Karen. I don't know a bad thing to say about Karen. She was always supportive," says Miles' friend, Kimberly Wright Jones.
"For me not to have my friend to send out a message about a scripture to, it's a lot. I'm not going to tell you it's not. Nothing could have prepared us for this," says Miles' friend, Shantricia Robinson.
"I feel like this didn't have to happen because it could have been prevented," says Pamela Ealy, whose loved one is missing.
Ealy points out, not only was Davante Clark released on bond earlier this year, Ealy says two weeks after Clark befriended Destin Henderson, Henderson vanished back in October 2023 and is still missing.
Ealy, who has a teen daughter with Henderson, says a week before her daughter's dad disappeared, her daughter was in Houston spending time with her father and Clark.
"She said he had a lot of books and was kind of weird. She said he sunbathed in spring water, was on a spiritual journey. He kept his clothes in the freezer. He also gave my daughter some gifts. He gave her a canister of tea and, I believe, some books," says Ealy.
There's been talk about Clark being connected to two other missing people, but Missouri City police say they are only aware of Destin Henderson and Karen Miles.
"Now another family will have closure because of Karen. Only Karen in death could still help somebody else. Only Karen could do that," says Jones.
"Karen's son, John, made a post on Facebook today, and part of what he said was, 'we definitely all have a right to be angry, but please let's remember there is still goodness that exists in this world.' They are trying to be very positive and very strong," Terrell said.
"She was just the perfect friend. The perfect support system. I, too, heard from Karen on August 21, because I was having surgery. She chimed in and told me well wishes on your surgery today, and that was her last message to me. That's a message I will always cherish," says Jones.
"Karen was a big part of the rodeo's Black Heritage Society. I never heard her argue. I never heard her fuss or complain. I never heard her in 17 years cuss. She's now in the presence of God. She's with her mom, her stepdad and others who have passed, and she's cheering us on," says Pastor Evon.
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The Harris County Sheriff's Office has been investigating Davante Clark in connection with the disappearance of Destin Henderson even before Karen Miles went missing.
"The HCSO Homicide Division did investigate the information that was provided to them implicating Davante Clark as a person of interest. With implicating someone doesn’t automatically mean we can arrest or even detain that person. Additional evidence needs to be gathered. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this case and all leads will be followed to the fullest extent of the law. The investigation is still active. We are still seeking information from anyone that may have knowledge about this incident. Call (713) 274-9100 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.