Texas police are desperately hunting for a man accused of brutally murdering his parents at their remote home last month.
The suspect, 47 year old Christopher Leman Jr, bears the same name as his father. As of Friday morning, detectives say his location remains a mystery, with the Harris County Sheriff's Office warning he is "considered a danger to the community."
The probe kicked off on July 11 around 5.30pm, when a family member asked for a welfare check at a property on Crosby Lynchburg Road in east Harris County, close to Houston.
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Officers arrived to discover Christopher Leman Sr. , 75, and his wife, Mary Leman, 73, with horrific injuries.
Leman Sr. was found dead in the lounge. His wife Mary was still breathing and rushed to hospital, where she initially seemed stable but died two days later,reports the Mirror US.
"@HCSOTexas needs your help to find Christopher Leman (9-3-77) who is wanted in connection with the brutal murders of his parents, Christopher Leman Sr (75) and Mary Leman (73)," Sheriff Ed Gonzalez wrote on X on Saturday.
"Today, Leman was charged with Capital Murder. He is NOT in custody and his whereabouts are unknown. Anyone with information is urged to contact the HCSO at 713-274-9100 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS (8477)," Sheriff Gonzalez added. The Sheriff revealed that the couple were discovered on a property nestled in a wooded area about half a mile from the main road, where Leman Sr. had been shot.
Initially, authorities believed Mary had also been shot, but doctors later determined her injuries were due to a head laceration rather than a gunshot wound. Detectives quickly identified the couple's son, Christopher Jr, as the prime suspect.
He is now facing a capital murder charge, a crime that in Texas could lead to the death penalty. Officials are urging anyone with information on Leman Jr's whereabouts to contact law enforcement immediately.
"It's heartbreaking whenever lives are lost in this way," said Major Anthony McConnell. "These were people in their mid-70s, enjoying their retirement years. They certainly didn't deserve this."
Those who knew Leman Jr have been left stunned by the case. Dennis Butterworth, a former classmate of the suspect, recalled that he graduated at the top of their high school class.
Speaking to ABC 13,he said: "I always assumed he was doing great things because he was the smartest kid in school, was super sharp. Kind of kept to himself a lot in high school. You obviously don't want to see anybody else get hurt, and you want justice for his parents," Butterworth added. "I hope they find him and they bring him in safely for everyone involved."
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