Sunday, May 16, 2010

Houston, TX: Constables: Husband shoots, kills pregnant wife in northwest Harris County

by Nakia Cooper / khou.com
khou.com
Posted on May 16, 2010 at 4:01 PM
Updated today at 4:13 PM
HOUSTON—A quiet, upscale neighborhood in northwest Harris County was turned upside down Sunday morning after a husband shot and killed his pregnant wife, according to police. It happened in the 18700 block of Autumn Breeze.
Steve Hochanadel, neighbor and co-worker, said the disturbance began shortly before 11 a.m. He said his wife heard the victim, 31-year-old Jennifer McDougall, screaming for help before her husband, 37-year-old Mike McDougall, opened fire.
Hochanadel’s wife immediately called 911.
The McDougall family moved to Houston from Denver, Colorado several months ago. The husband was an engineer and the couple had three children; ages 2, 4 and 8.
Hochanadel, who is also from Denver, said the move was a bit stressful and Mike McDougall had not been himself lately.
“He wasn’t the same guy, he was just a little stressed out,” said Hochanadel. “I don’t know what kind of problems they were having. I just wish I could have known about it ahead of time and helped him.”
Precinct 4 Constables rushed to the scene after receiving the shots fired disturbance call. They arrived to find the victim lying in the garage. The husband was nearby at the time and was taken into custody.
Sergeant Curtis Brown of the Harris County Homicide Division said the three children were home at the time of the shooting, but did not witness it. Brown said the father brought them out after he shot their mother several times with an automatic pistol.
The McDougalls have no other family in Houston and the children are now in CPS custody. Their fourth child was due July 4.

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