Houston police say they have their man in a brutal killing that rocked a southwest Houston shopping center earlier this month. Detectives have arrested 47-year-old Christopher Lee Bowden and charged him with capital murder in the death of 54-year-old Chun Chen, a worker found dead inside a business in Alief.
Chen was discovered unresponsive in the kitchen of the business at a shopping center on Bellaire Boulevard on May 8, with what police described as apparent blunt-force trauma. According to an HPD news release from the City of Houston, officers were called to 10515 Bellaire Boulevard around 12:05 p.m. after a coworker could not reach Chen. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators say they later matched evidence at the location to a suspect. Bowden was arrested on May 13 by the Westside Patrol Division Crime Suppression Team and booked into the Harris County Jail, according to the same city release.
Court documents reviewed by local outlets allege Bowden struck Chen with a hammer and that the attack happened during an alleged burglary or robbery. Those details are reported by ABC13.
Police have not publicly pinned down a clear motive. As investigators work to fill in the gaps, they are still asking for tips from anyone who might have seen or heard something around the time of the killing. As reported by KHOU, people with information can call HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-224-TIPS.
What the charge means
Bowden is charged in the 182nd Criminal District Court with capital murder, the most serious homicide charge in Texas. Capital murder applies only in specific situations, including when a killing happens during certain felonies such as robbery or burglary. The charge can carry either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. For the legal fine print, see Texas Penal Code § 19.03 and Article 37.071.
Next steps
Bowden remains in custody at the Harris County Jail, and officials have not yet released a court date or set a bond amount, per FOX 26 Houston. The Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division says it is continuing the investigation and is still urging anyone with information to contact detectives, according to a city press release.
