Tom Lewis, a 55-year-old Black man, was a well-known and lifelong resident of his Houston community. His cousin, Harris County 189th Civil District Court Judge Tamika Craft, described him as a "jack of all trades" who was always willing to help others, and his death was a significant loss. Friends and family remembered Mr. Lewis, an alumnus of M.B. Smiley High School, as a businessman and a dear friend.
On the evening of September 9, 2023, Mr.
Lewis and his brother were in the 4100 block of Weaver Road in northeast Houston. They were speaking with a man they knew when an argument broke out. The man then attempted to pull a handgun from his waistband, and a struggle over the weapon ensued. During the struggle, the gun was fired multiple times.
Both Mr. Lewis and his brother were struck by the gunfire. Emergency responders pronounced Tom Lewis dead at the scene. His brother was transported to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Investigators quickly identified the suspect as 27-year-old Rigo Pena Jr., a former tenant of Mr. Lewis. Authorities reported that the confrontation stemmed from a dispute over a deposit. After the shooting, Pena fled the area in a maroon pickup truck. The Houston Police Department issued warrants for his arrest on charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
On September 18, 2023, Rigo Pena Jr. turned himself in without incident to the Houston Police Department's Northeast Crime Suppression Team. He was arrested and booked into the Harris County Jail. As of September 2023, the case was proceeding through the court system.
