A suspect has been taken into custody and faces charges in connection with a fatal stabbing that occurred in Houston. The victim, identified as Paulette Francis, 62, was discovered deceased inside a residence on Tidwell Road this past Monday afternoon, according to official reports.
Houston police arrested 67-year-old Ralph Sample, who has now been charged with murder. He is alleged to have fatally stabbed his partner, Ms. Francis, whose body was found unresponsive and concealed beneath blankets. Police were alerted to the scene by a witness who had come over to check on Francis. The witness's concern quickly turned to alarm upon discovering Francis's condition. Officers from the Houston Police Department (HPD) and the Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced Francis deceased.
In their investigation, HPD Homicide Division Detectives L. Patterson and N. Henderson identified Sample as the prime suspect. Sample, who was arrested on Wednesday for an unrelated incident, admitted to detectives his role in Francis' murder. Following the confession, charges were swiftly filed against him in the 482nd State District Court.
"HPD patrol officers responded to a report of a deceased person at the above address and found Ms. Francis unresponsive and covered by multiple blankets. Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced her deceased at the scene," said the detectives in a statement obtained by the official news release. As the investigation proceeded to uncover further details, it was determined that Francis had sustained multiple stab wounds. Sample has since been charged and is currently booked into the Harris County Jail. Details surrounding the circumstances of the stabbing and the lead-up to the tragic event are still under investigation.
