A well-known Houston restaurateur fatally shot his wife and their two young children before turning the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities said Tuesday.
Officers had been sent to 2113 Kingston St. in Houston's River Oaks neighborhood on Monday evening to check on the welfare of a family because they "had not been heard from or seen since the previous night," according to a police department statement.
Responding police found the bodies of a man, 52; woman, 39; girl, 8; and boy, 4.
"Evidence on scene indicated the incident was a murder-suicide in which the male shot the three victims and then shot himself," Houston police said.
Property records linked that address to Matthew Mitchell and his wife, Thy Mai Mitchell, owners and operators of popular Houston restaurants Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart.
All four people were shot in the head with Matthew Mitchell’s cause of death listed as a suicide, according to Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences records.
The wife and children’s cause of deaths were listed as homicides which took place at 6:11 p.m. on Monday, records showed.
"Thy was not only a client, but a great friend. She was a devoted mother and business woman, and we are completely devastated and heartbroken a million times over again," according to a statement from South House PR, which represented the restaurants.
“If there was one thing about Thy, it’s that she was always on her own journey — always looking for the next adventure, and we had a blast doing it together,” the statement added. “She will be dearly missed by many, including our team, who’s had the privilege of telling her story the last few years.”
Traveler’s Table had been profiled on Guy Fieri’s Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
The restaurants have remained open and managers praised employees for coming to work under such trying conditions.
"As Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart remain open for business, we want to thank our loyal staff, who have shown up and worked through these difficult circumstances, ensuring that we continue to serve our community," according to a company statement on Wednesday.
"We are asking for unity and respect for our privacy as we navigate this immense loss. Hospitality comes from within, and to honor the Traveler’s Legacy, we will continue to welcome you into our restaurants."
Ly Mai, a sister and aunt of the victims, posted pictures of the three in announcing they had "passed away" on Monday night — without mentioning the circumstance of the deaths or identifying their killer.
"Our family is grieving deeply and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time," the heartbroken sister and aunt wrote.
