On May 7, 2024, at approximately 12:35 a.m., 44-year-old Teresa Nicole Houston was fatally shot at a gas station located at 6019 Almeda Road in Houston, Texas. The incident began as a domestic altercation between Ms. Houston and her ex-boyfriend, 46-year-old Tilford Anthony Joseph. Witnesses, including Houston Fire Department paramedics who were refueling at the station, observed Joseph chasing Ms. Houston both inside the store and outside through the gas pumps.
During this pursuit, Joseph fired multiple shots, striking Ms. Houston as she attempted to flee. Even after she fell, he continued to shoot, ultimately inflicting nine gunshot wounds that led to her death.
Following the shooting, the paramedics alerted a Harris County Precinct 7 deputy constable who was passing by. The deputy pursued Joseph, who fled the scene in a vehicle. A brief chase ensued, during which Joseph stopped his car, exited, and opened fire on the deputy. The deputy returned fire but was not struck; however, he sustained a minor injury after falling during the confrontation. Joseph then commandeered the deputy's patrol vehicle, drove away, returned shortly thereafter, engaged in a second exchange of gunfire, and ultimately fled in his original vehicle. His car was later found abandoned on the side of a highway in north Houston.
Ms. Houston was pronounced dead at the scene. She was an employee of Alvin Independent School District, serving as a paraprofessional in a fundamental skills class at Shadow Creek High School. The district expressed deep condolences, noting that her dedication and commitment to students would be profoundly missed.
A subsequent investigation led to the identification of Tilford Anthony Joseph as the suspect. On May 8, 2024, he was apprehended following a standoff with the Harris County Sheriff's Office SWAT team at an apartment complex in west Harris County. Joseph was charged with murder in the death of Ms. Houston and aggravated assault against a public servant. During a court appearance, his bond was set at $750,000.
Ms. Houston's funeral services were held on May 18, 2024, at Evangelist Temple Church of God In Christ in Houston, followed by interment at Houston Memorial Gardens in Pearland, Texas.
