A woman was fatally shot yesterday, and the man accused of her murder is now in custody. According to the City of Houston News, the incident occurred at an apartment complex located at 8301 Willow Place Drive North at approximately 8:05 a.m. The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Howard Devon Ruffin, has been charged with murder following the shooting.
Responding to a call, HPD patrol officers discovered the victim, a 32-year-old woman, with gunshot wounds. Paramedics who arrived at the scene pronounced her dead shortly thereafter. Through an investigation that included examining evidence and gathering witness statements, detectives developed information pointing to Ruffin, who was reportedly the victim's boyfriend. Later in the day, Ruffin chose to turn himself in and provided a statement to the authorities.
Ruffin's arrest was made by HPD North Belt Patrol Division Tactical Unit officers, who then contacted homicide detectives. Following a consultation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, charges were formally filed against Ruffin, and he was booked into the Harris County Jail. A booking photo of Ruffin accompanies the official press release. The victim's identity, meanwhile, remains pending as it awaits confirmation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The case is currently being overseen by the HPD Homicide Division Detectives W. Huff and J. Nguyen. As this situation continues to unfold, more details are expected to be revealed. Those with further information regarding this shooting are encouraged to contact the HPD Homicide Division or Crime Stoppers.
