Houston police investigate the shooting death of Lazette King. Cops arrested her boyfriend Michael Ellis (KPRC).
Authorities in Texas arrested a man who reportedly shot his girlfriend to death and then sent a photo of her body to his sister.
The individual identified as Michael Ellis reportedly shot another individual in the leg earlier on Tuesday evening, as per reports from Houston authorities. Following this incident, Ellis is accused of proceeding to the apartment he shared with his partner, Lazette King, where he fatally shot her.
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He then reportedly took a photo of King”s body and sent it to his sister. The message also included an alleged threat to King’s family.
“He told her he was on his way to get her family next,” shared King’s sister, Shatina Thompson, with CBS affiliate KHOU. “That’s when we started moving quickly to evacuate my parents because he knows their location.”
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Cops ended up taking Ellis into custody early Wednesday morning. As of Wednesday afternoon, prosecutors have yet to file formal charges.
Detectives are still working on establishing a motive but said Ellis suffered from mental health issues. His sister told local NBC affiliate KPRC that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was consumed by conspiracy theories. She said he and the victim often argued and he believed she was ordered by the government to kill him.
Ellis was not taking his medication, his sister told KPRC.
Thompson described King to KHOU as “very free-spirited, happy, someone who would do what she could for those that needed.”
“She didn’t deserve what happened to her,” she said.
