Houston police are investigating a possible murder-suicide at the River Oaks home of restaurant owners Matthew and Thy Mitchell.
Authorities said they responded around 5:30 p.m. Monday to a home on Kingston Street after a babysitter requested a welfare check. Four bodies were found, including children ages 8 and 4, a 39-year-old woman and a 52-year-old “male suspect.” The identities of the bodies are pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The Mitchells owned two globally-inspired restaurants, Traveler’s Table on Westheimer, and Traveler’s Cart in Montrose. Neither the Mitchell family nor their restaurants had released a statement at press time but many friends and acquaintances shared condolences on social media, expressing shock that two children were apparently murdered amid what appeared to be a domestic dispute.
Erika Ramirez, a spokeswoman for the Houston Police Department, said a report was not immediately available and directed reporters to a press release which says, “Officers entered the residence and located four unresponsive individuals with gunshot wounds. Evidence on scene indicated the incident was a murder-suicide in which the male shot the three victims and then shot himself.”
The Mitchells opened Traveler’s Table in 2019, followed by Traveler’s Cart in 2023. The couple also owned a travel-inspired fashion line called Foreign Fare. Both restaurants were open for business on Tuesday.
Investigators are urging anyone with additional information about the case to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.
