MaterDei
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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2286792
Two dead after family surprises intruder in Sugar Land
By MIKE GLENN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
SUGAR LAND -- A Sugar Land mother and son were fatally shot and two other family members wounded after they returned to their upscale home Wednesday night and surprised an intruder, police said.
The victims, whose identities were not released, were shot about 8:20 p.m. in their home in the 1100 block of Heron Way in Sugar Lakes subdivision, an upper-middle class neighborhood with houses valued at $200,000 and higher.
"The suspect shot all four family members," said police Sgt. Mark Grothaus. "We're still conducting the search (for the suspect) at this time."
The son died at the home, while his mother, 51, died at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.
The father, 55, was in Memorial Hermann in unknown condition, while another son was taken by ambulance to a Sugar Land-area hospital.
The burglar was wearing some type of mask, but police had no other description of him.
Nearby residents said the sons had been home for holiday break from college.
"This is shocking. They were salt of the earth, lovely people," said Chris Woessner, who has lived near the family for almost two decades. "This is a very peaceful, quiet neighborhood."
His wife, Chrissy, said of the mother: "She was very sweet, loved her family and loved their boys. This just cuts to my heart."
She said the nature of the crime in the quiet, bedroom community has left some residents in fear.
"I just live around the corner -- something like this could happen to me," she said. "I pray for their family."
A handful of concerned neighbors gathered around the crime scene tape that stretched across the street while police and tracking dogs from the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department searched for the assailant.
"The dogs are pretty good and we set up a perimeter fairly quickly," Grothaus said.
Emma G. Piepenbrok, who lives next to the victims, described the family as "wonderful people" who would often check her mail for her.
She said the husband was in the construction business and his wife was a teacher. They had lived there for at least 20 years.
"They have been such good neighbors to me," Piepenbrok said.
She said she did not hear gunshots but heard a loud "crash" sound followed by a man's hollering. She went to her front door to check the disturbance, but saw nothing. Shortly afterward, she said, police and ambulances arrived.
Beverly Campbell, who lives four houses from the victims, said she did not hear shots but learned of the incident when ambulances arrived and a Life Flight helicopter landed near her front yard.
"It's so sad a whole family (was shot)," said Campbell, who doesn't know the victims. "It just occurred to me (that) it could have easily been us -- if it was just random and they didn't know the people who did this.
"I was just talking to my son on Internet (e-mail), telling him about the shooting. He's in shock because he always felt so safe here. It's always been a very quiet, safe neighborhood. All our neighbors have been here for years."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sugar Land Criminal Investigators Division at 281-275-2524 or Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers at 281-342-8477.
Two dead after family surprises intruder in Sugar Land
By MIKE GLENN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
SUGAR LAND -- A Sugar Land mother and son were fatally shot and two other family members wounded after they returned to their upscale home Wednesday night and surprised an intruder, police said.
The victims, whose identities were not released, were shot about 8:20 p.m. in their home in the 1100 block of Heron Way in Sugar Lakes subdivision, an upper-middle class neighborhood with houses valued at $200,000 and higher.
"The suspect shot all four family members," said police Sgt. Mark Grothaus. "We're still conducting the search (for the suspect) at this time."
The son died at the home, while his mother, 51, died at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.
The father, 55, was in Memorial Hermann in unknown condition, while another son was taken by ambulance to a Sugar Land-area hospital.
The burglar was wearing some type of mask, but police had no other description of him.
Nearby residents said the sons had been home for holiday break from college.
"This is shocking. They were salt of the earth, lovely people," said Chris Woessner, who has lived near the family for almost two decades. "This is a very peaceful, quiet neighborhood."
His wife, Chrissy, said of the mother: "She was very sweet, loved her family and loved their boys. This just cuts to my heart."
She said the nature of the crime in the quiet, bedroom community has left some residents in fear.
"I just live around the corner -- something like this could happen to me," she said. "I pray for their family."
A handful of concerned neighbors gathered around the crime scene tape that stretched across the street while police and tracking dogs from the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department searched for the assailant.
"The dogs are pretty good and we set up a perimeter fairly quickly," Grothaus said.
Emma G. Piepenbrok, who lives next to the victims, described the family as "wonderful people" who would often check her mail for her.
She said the husband was in the construction business and his wife was a teacher. They had lived there for at least 20 years.
"They have been such good neighbors to me," Piepenbrok said.
She said she did not hear gunshots but heard a loud "crash" sound followed by a man's hollering. She went to her front door to check the disturbance, but saw nothing. Shortly afterward, she said, police and ambulances arrived.
Beverly Campbell, who lives four houses from the victims, said she did not hear shots but learned of the incident when ambulances arrived and a Life Flight helicopter landed near her front yard.
"It's so sad a whole family (was shot)," said Campbell, who doesn't know the victims. "It just occurred to me (that) it could have easily been us -- if it was just random and they didn't know the people who did this.
"I was just talking to my son on Internet (e-mail), telling him about the shooting. He's in shock because he always felt so safe here. It's always been a very quiet, safe neighborhood. All our neighbors have been here for years."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sugar Land Criminal Investigators Division at 281-275-2524 or Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers at 281-342-8477.
(actually, I offered to teach her the basics and take her shooting, no takers yet -)
