In the early evening of June 19, 2026, the life of 44-year-old LaDana Murrell was tragically cut short in a violent encounter at a southwest Houston apartment complex. Responding to a shooting call at approximately 7:50 p.m. at 6015 Dale Carnegie Lane, Houston Police Department officers discovered Murrell with a gunshot wound in the doorway of an apartment. Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department arrived at the scene but were unable to save her, and she was pronounced deceased.
The initial investigation pointed to a domestic dispute that had escalated to a fatal conclusion.
Witnesses at the apartment complex reported that Murrell had been involved in a physical altercation with a man just before the shooting. The man, who was in a dating relationship with Murrell, fled the scene before authorities arrived. Through their investigation, HPD homicide detectives identified the suspect as 46-year-old Michael D. Franklin. The Harris County District Attorney's Office was consulted, and a murder charge was subsequently filed against Franklin in the 179th State District Court.
As of late June 2026, Michael D. Franklin remains at large, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The Houston Police Department has released a prior booking photo of Franklin to the public and is seeking information on his whereabouts. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the HPD Homicide Division or to provide anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers. The case, a heartbreaking instance of domestic violence, has left Murrell's family devastated as they await justice. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement actively searching for the man charged with ending LaDana Murrell's life.
