14-yr-old charged with capital murder in woman's shooting death in SW Houston

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with capital murder in the April 5 shooting of a woman on the front lawn of a home in southwest Houston, according to Houston Police.

Police say Tuyen Nguyen, 29, was pronounced dead at the home on the 9500 block of Langdon Lane after being found with at least one gunshot wound.

Family members say Nguyen had left her mother's residence about 11 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. Nguyen's fiance told investigators he awoke and noticed she had not returned to his home on Langdon Lane. As he was leaving for work, the fiance discovered Nguyen's body in his front yard. 

The 14-year-old suspect was arrested without incident on Sunday. Police are not releasing his name due to his age. Police say the suspect told them he was riding in a car when he saw Nguyen. He told police he asked he driver to pull over so he could use the bathroom. Police say the suspect told them he then attempted to rob Nguyen and shot her.

Police say the investigation is ongoing. They are not saying whether there is a possibility of more suspects.

Fourteen is the minimum age in Texas at which the state can seek to certify a juvenile as an adult, according to Fox 26 senior legal analyst Chris Tritico. Either way, if convicted, he’ll face decades behind bars.

“No matter where he’s tried—whether it’s in juvenile court or district court—[if convicted] he’s subject to facing far more time in prison than he’s ever going to spend out of prison, and that’s the problem with a case like this,” said Tritico.