William Delawrence Lewis

Mass Murderer

William Delawrence Lewis and the 2025 Sugar Land-Houston Shooting Spree

Overview

William Delawrence Lewis was identified by police as the 42-year-old gunman responsible for a deadly shooting spree across Sugar Land and southwest Houston, Texas, on October 8, 2025. Authorities connected Lewis to three separate shooting scenes that unfolded over roughly one hour. Three victims were killed before Lewis died from what investigators described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The violence began shortly before 1 p.m. in Sugar Land, where Lewis allegedly confronted and repeatedly shot 47-year-old Shelly Perrault, a woman with whom he had previously been in a relationship. Lewis then traveled into Houston, entered or approached a mechanic shop, and became involved in an argument. Police said he fatally shot the shop's owner and then killed another man who attempted to record the confrontation with a cellphone. Lewis fled from the mechanic shop after the two killings. Houston police located him a short distance away in the 8000 block of Creekbend Drive. By the time officers reached him, Lewis had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. His death ended the immediate danger but left investigators working to determine what caused him to carry out the series of killings.

The Murder of Shelly Perrault

The first shooting occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on October 8, 2025, in the 12900 block of Dairy Ashford Road near U.S. Route 90 in Sugar Land. Officers responding to the scene found Shelly Perrault in the driver's seat of a white sport utility vehicle that had left the roadway. She had sustained several gunshot wounds. Police officers and two civilian witnesses attempted to save Perrault's life until emergency medical personnel arrived. She was transported to Ben Taub Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Early reports described the incident as a possible act of road rage, but investigators later determined that it was not a random roadway confrontation. Sugar Land police said Perrault and Lewis had been involved in a previous relationship. Members of her family said they believed any conflict between the two had already been resolved and that they had not feared for her life. Her niece, Shatlin Rice, said the family knew little about Lewis and had no warning that the situation would become deadly. Perrault's family described her as a peaceful, generous and deeply faithful woman. She had endured the death of her only son, who died at the age of 21 in 2018. Relatives said she transformed that grief into a desire to help others and became a source of love and support for her family and community. Friends and relatives later gathered at Buffalo Run Park in Missouri City to remember Perrault. Yellow and white balloons were released during the memorial. Her family announced plans to create a foundation in her name, carrying forward a goal she had hoped to pursue while she was alive.

The Mechanic Shop Murders

Approximately 45 minutes after Perrault was shot, Lewis traveled to a mechanic business in the 13000 block of Fondren Road in southwest Houston. Police said he arrived at approximately 1:45 p.m. and became involved in an argument at the business. The reason for the confrontation was not immediately disclosed. During the dispute, Lewis allegedly opened fire and killed the owner of the mechanic shop. People who knew the victim described him as a helpful businessman who was willing to assist customers and others who arrived with mechanical problems. Family members and friends gathered outside the business as police secured the property with crime-scene tape. A second man outside a nearby warehouse reportedly began recording Lewis and the confrontation with a cellphone. Police said Lewis noticed the witness and shot him as well. Surveillance recordings obtained during the investigation reportedly showed the gunman leaving his vehicle and chasing one of the men before fatally shooting him. Both men died at the Fondren Road location. The news reports available immediately after the shooting did not publicly identify them by name. Investigators connected their deaths to the earlier killing in Sugar Land through Lewis's description, his movements and the vehicle he was driving. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Shelly Perrault 47 yr old Male

'She was my second mom': Family mourns Sugar Land woman shot and ...