8 People Found Dead In Houston-Area Home After Shooting

On Sunday, Texas authorities reported the deaths of eight people—six children and two adults—in a Houston-area home. The alleged murderer, 48-year old David R. Conley, exchanged gunfire with deputies before surrendering to the police.

After arresting Conley, Houston deputies entered the residence and discovered the bodies of the eight individuals in three different bedrooms. According to reports by the Washington Post the victims were restrained with handcuffs and shot in the head. Some of the victims received multiple shots to the body as well. The alleged killer likely broke into the home through an unlocked window.

The victims of this tragic shooting were Valerie Jackson, 40, her husband, Dwayne Jackson, 50, and six children: Jonah, 6, Trinity, 7, Caleb, 9, Dwayne Jr., 10, Honesty, 11, and Nathaniel, 13. Conley’s motivations for murdering eight innocent people remain unknown, and his relationship with the dead are also unclear. However, Fox News reports that Conley had a past relationship with Valerie Jackson and likely fathered a son with her; their son was tragically also one of the victims.

Chief Deputy Tim Cannon spoke to the media and discussed the enormity of grisly murders that occurred in Houston on Sunday.

“We’re here today on a very sad day,” Cannon said. “We’re here with our brothers in arms standing behind us because we’re all hurting. It’s a difficult day for us at the sheriff’s office. Once again, a tragedy has struck… our city. Our hearts go out to those… affected by this tragedy.”

According to CBS News, the entire incident unfolded when Harris County deputies received a call at 9:00 p.m. local time on Saturday to check up on a home on Falling Oaks Road. When no one answered the door, the deputies searched around the residence before spotting the body of a juvenile through the window. The police then forced themselves into the home, and Conley opened fire on them, forcing the deputies to retreat. The alleged suspect surrendered a few hours later.

Records show that Conley has had multiple run ins with law enforcement throughout the years and was put behind bars multiple times as well. His most recent incident before his mass killing of eight people on Sunday occurred just a little over a month ago when he was involved in a dispute with Valerie Jackson, one of the victims in the shooting. He repeatedly smashed her head into a refrigerator and tried to beat his son with a belt.

Neighbors in the community were horrified to learn of such a tragedy and questioned how such an inhumane attack on eight innocent people could possibly have occurred. The motive for the killing is still unknown as Houston police continue to investigate the murders.

[Photo by Associated Press Photos]