Wife claims husband tried to strangle her father before deadly shooting

HOUSTON - The wife and mother of two people shot to death last week in northwest Houston told FOX 26 more details of what she believes led up to the death of her husband at the hands of her father. Krystal Rhodd says Michael Rhodd was bipolar and tried to strangle his father-in-law Friday night after attending the vigil for his murdered daughter Sierra Rhodd. She said that’s when her father shot and killed Michael Rhodd in what he claims was self-defense.

The family attorney, JB Bobbitt told FOX 26 Krystal’s 74-year-old father is innocent.

“The suggestion that Michael Rhodd’s death was anything other than a tragedy—was anything other than an accident—needs to stop,” said Bobbitt.

Krystal says after her father killed her husband in self-defense, he returned home to Michigan. He had flown to Houston to attend his granddaughter’s vigil.
Harris County Sheriff’s deputies say Michael’s death is still under investigation and the case will be presented to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for a grand jury review.

FOX 26 interviewed Michael Rhodd several times in the days leading up to his death, as he begged the public for answers in his daughter’s murder. Today, no one is charged in Sierra Rhodd’s murder. An 18-year-old suspect was charged last week before the judge dropped the charge for lack of evidence.
Deputies say the Rhodd family home was riddled with bullets from up to three or more shooters on the night of September 13.

Deputies are still trying to solve the murder. They say Sierra’s 15-year-old brother was the intended target in the shooting.

The family attorney says Sierra’s brother and mother are still in danger.

“This family continues to receive explicit threats to their lives as recently as yesterday,” said Bobbitt. “They have been the subject of these threats for months. They need protection. They need safety, and that’s the family’s primary concern today, and until these violent criminals are off the streets once they’re identified, then they won’t have that safety.”

Bobbitt declined to answer questions about what caused the threats to begin months ago, although before his death, Michael Rhodd told FOX 26 he believed the shooters were after his son because his son was involved in a couple of street fights and won.

Detectives need the public’s help to solve the case. If you have information that could help lead to an arrest, call the Harris County Sheriff’s Office or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.