4 people, including 2 children, found dead in suspected Houston murder-suicide

A welfare check in an upscale Houston neighborhood on May 4 led to the discovery of four relatives who were fatally shot inside their southeast Texas home, police said.

The deaths of a 4-year-old boy, an 8-year-old girl, a 52-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman are being investigated as a murder-suicide, the Houston Police Department said in a May 5 news release.

"This does look like a family matter, but that doesn't make it any better," Detective L. Brooks told reporters during a news conference after the discovery. "It's terrible... shocking for sure."

Officers responded to the family's home in the city's River Oaks neighborhood at about 5:30 p.m. CT on May 4, after a babysitter alerted authorities she had not heard from the family for 24 hours.

Arriving officers entered the home and found all four members unresponsive, police said. The children were found dead in their beds.

Citing the open investigation, police have not released additional information about the case, including where the adults were found in the home.

The Houston Chronicle and KTRK-TV identified the adults as Matthew Mitchell and Thy Mitchell, who owned a restaurant not far from their house called Traveler's Table.

USA TODAY has reached out to the restaurant.

Thy Mitchell's sister also confirmed the death of the woman and the couple's children on Facebook.

"We are heartbroken to share that my sister, Thy, and her beloved children, Maya and Max, passed away last night," Ly Mai wrote in the May 5 post. "Our family is grieving deeply and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time."

The affluent neighborhood where the family lived is about five miles east of downtown Houston and is home to famous residents including Televangelist Joel Osteen, Sen. Ted Cruz and former professional boxer George Foreman.

Who was killed in River Oaks?

Officials have not confirmed a motive in the case.

"Evidence on scene indicated the incident was a murder-suicide in which the male shot the three victims and then shot himself," police said in the release.

Authorities noted that they will not confirm the victims' identities until they're verified by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. USA TODAY has reached out to the office.

An autopsy will determine the official cause and manner of death for each relative. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call police at 713-308-3600.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.