Samuel Schmidtt, a 29-year-old white male, was found dead at his front door on Kinley Ann Court near Tory Ann Drive in Magnolia, Texas, on July 22, 2020. He had been shot multiple times just after 11 p.m. that night. Schmidtt's 13-year-old daughter and girlfriend were present at the time of the shooting. The suspect, Christopher Julian, a 27-year-old white male, was a longtime friend of Schmidtt. The two men had known each other for over 10 years and went to high school together. Witnesses at the scene reported that the two men engaged in conversation for over an hour before Julian went back to his car to retrieve a gun. Julian fired at least six shots with what is believed to be a pistol, resulting in Schmidtt's death.
Following the shooting, Julian fled the scene in a silver Nissan Versa with Texas license plate number MPT5747. He was considered armed and dangerous. Authorities launched a manhunt for Julian, who was also accused of shooting at his girlfriend in Tomball, Texas, the day before. A warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon had been issued for Julian in Harris County.
On July 23, 2020, Julian was located at his father's home in Cypress, Texas. When authorities arrived, Julian fired multiple shots at officers with a long gun, leading to a tense standoff that lasted several hours. During the standoff, Julian made attempts to start fires inside the home. Eventually, SWAT officers entered the residence and found Julian dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, investigated the murder and filed charges against Julian. The Harris County Sheriff's Office led the investigation into the shooting and subsequent standoff.
