Grandma, 79, gunned down in bedroom in South Park

When Owena McHenry’s family members arrived at her South Park home, police said they noticed that a side door was left open.

It was unusual for McHenry, who lived alone, to leave any of her doors unlocked, said her neighbor, Velma Justice. For safety reasons, McHenry would not open her doors for anyone she did not know, her neighbor said. All of the windows of the home were also protected by iron bars.

McHenry’s daughter and grandson found her dead around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in her home in the 5800 block of Flamingo Drive, according to Houston Police Department investigators. She was shot to death in her bedroom.

“I been up crying all night,” said Justice, who went to church every week with the slain 79-yearold grandmother. “I didn’t even get to say ‘Happy New Year’ to Ms. Owena.”

The slaying has shaken a community where neighbors say they treat each other like family and where McHenry was known as a pillar.

The neighborhood calm was first broken hours before McHenry’s body was discovered when she called police to report gunshots fired into her home. Around 1 a.m. Wednesday, as neighbors were setting off fireworks to celebrate the new year, someone drove past the house and started shooting into it, police said.

No one was injured in the first spate of gunfire, according to police. Officers came out to the home later that morning and filed a criminal mischief report in the case.

“We believe that possibly the same shooter may have returned this past evening to finish what he started on New Year’s Eve,” a police statement said.

Detectives have not publicly identified any suspects in either of the shootings.

McHenry lived for decades in the South Park neighborhood. Those who knew her say their community won’t be the same without the sweet, funny, feisty, warm woman everyone loved.

“She was sweet as pie,” said Chermone Waller, who grew up in McHenry’s neighborhood.

“I just can’t see why somebody would want to do that to her. She didn’t deserve it, not at all.”

McHenry was compelled to aid people, said Baraba Hardge, a neighbor. “She would just help anybody that needed it,” she said.

The murder was a shock to the close-knit neighborhood, Waller said.

“It’s really devastating that this happened, especially on this street,” she said. “On this street, everybody is like family. We’ve been knowing each other for years and everybody gets along.”

Justice said she stayed up all night crying for her friend. Now that McHenry is

gone, Justice said she will cherish the memories she has of her friend making her laugh at church.

“She used to make me laugh every Sunday,” Justice said.

While police look for answers, Justice said she’s left wondering why anyone would hurt McHenry.

“I really hope they find the killers,” said Justice. “I will feel safer when they do.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-2228477 or the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division at 713-380-3600.