On December 8, 2023, a tragic incident unfolded in Killeen, Texas, resulting in the deaths of 75-year-old Deanne M. Hector McGruder and her daughter, 53-year-old Tina McGruder. The Killeen Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance call at approximately 1:34 p.m. in the 2300 block of Basalt Drive. Upon arrival, officers encountered a man exiting the residence and heard screams from inside.
The man was detained, and officers discovered Deanne and Tina inside, both suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite immediate medical attention and transport to local hospitals, both women succumbed to their injuries.
The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Louis Lamar Simpson Jr., is the grandson of Deanne and son of Tina. He was taken into custody at the scene. According to an arrest affidavit, prior to the shooting, Tina had called 911, reporting that her son had threatened to shoot her and her mother and had physically assaulted them. During police questioning at the scene, Tina identified her son as the shooter before she passed away. Simpson Jr. was subsequently charged with capital murder by the Bell County District Attorney's Office. He was arraigned by Judge Cliff Coleman, with bond set at $3 million, and is currently held at the Bell County Jail.
Further investigation revealed that Simpson Jr. had a prior arrest on July 30, 2021, for assaulting a family member. In interviews following the December 8 incident, he reportedly expressed resentment towards his mother for a previous incarceration, stating it was "the worst mistake she could have made." This tragic event marks the tenth murder investigation in Killeen for the year 2023. Friends and colleagues of Tina remembered her as a caring individual who served two decades in the United States Army and had recently begun a career as a counselor, aiming to give back to her community.
