HOUSTON, TX — Houston police say a 65-year-old woman was killed after bullets struck her home on the city’s south side overnight and her body was not found until more than nine hours later. Investigators identified the woman as Princella Ross, who was discovered unresponsive inside her home on Beran Drive after a caregiver arrived to check on her.
What first appeared to be a medical emergency turned out to be a shooting, according to police. First responders were called around 9:30 a.m., and Houston police later determined Ross had been shot. Sgt. Charles Lamont said investigators believe the gunfire happened about nine or 10 hours before she was found, and no 911 call came in at the time of the shooting.
Police Findings So Far
Investigators said Ross’s home was the only one on the block hit by gunfire overnight. They have not said whether she was the intended target. Police are also still looking for the person or people responsible and have not announced any arrests.
The case remains under active investigation as officers search the neighborhood for surveillance video and other evidence. Lamont said residents reported hearing gunshots in the area, which may help explain why no one called 911 when the shooting happened, but police have not identified who fired the shots.
How The Case Developed
Family members told ABC13 that Ross was a mother of three and grandmother of 10. A relative who did not want to be identified for safety reasons said Ross initially thought a hole in her left arm was linked to diabetes or insulin, but police later determined it was a bullet wound.
Her daughter described the loss as devastating and said the family is still struggling to process what happened. Police said the shooting took place before anyone realized Ross had been injured, leaving a long gap between the gunfire and the discovery of her death.
What Police Want Next
Houston police are asking anyone with information about the shooting or the people involved to contact the department. Detectives are continuing to review possible video and other evidence from the neighborhood as they try to determine whether Ross was targeted or caught in random gunfire.
For now, investigators say the key unanswered questions are who fired the shots, why the home was hit and whether anyone nearby saw or heard anything useful that night. Police have not released further details about suspects, and no timeline has been given for when more information may be available.
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