On December 27, 2023, 67-year-old Leah Hughes was found deceased in her residence on Brent Drive in Big Spring, Texas. Initially, authorities believed her death resulted from a fall causing injury. However, an autopsy conducted on December 29 revealed that she had died from a gunshot wound.
Following this revelation, the Big Spring Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division secured a search warrant for Hughes' residence and initiated a comprehensive investigation. After several weeks of collaborative efforts with multiple agencies, detectives identified a suspect in the case. On February 6, 2024, 26-year-old Colten Hughes, the grandson of Leah Hughes, was arrested and charged with her murder. The arrest occurred during a traffic stop at the intersection of Parkview Drive and Durango Drive in Trophy Club, Texas, approximately four hours away from Big Spring.
Subsequently, Colten Hughes was indicted for murder by the Howard County Grand Jury on April 12, 2024. He was booked into the Howard County Detention Center with a bond set at $2 million.
Leah Hughes was a lifelong resident of Big Spring, born on April 3, 1956. She was actively involved in her community and cherished spending time with her grandchildren. Her unexpected death and the subsequent arrest of her grandson have profoundly impacted the local community.
