HOUSTON TEXAS, A 61-year-old Austin woman who had traveled to Houston to support a friend undergoing cancer treatment was fatally shot during a carjacking over the weekend, authorities said.
The victim, identified as Marietta Allison, was found lying on West 20th Street in the Heights with a gunshot wound to the neck around midnight Saturday after a suspect attempted to rob her and then fled with her vehicle.
Allison, who co-founded her own travel company, was taken to a hospital but later died from her injuries.
Police later identified the suspect as 18-year-old Darius DeWayne Hall. Officers spotted the stolen vehicle around 1 a.m., leading to a high-speed chase.
Authorities said the pursuit ended when the suspect crashed the vehicle along the Southwest Freeway. He then fled on foot and barricaded himself inside an empty apartment in a nearby residential neighborhood.
After a standoff that lasted several hours, officers took the suspect into custody.
Following his arrest, Hall was booked on charges including capital murder, tampering with evidence, and evading arrest, according to the Houston Police Department.
Friends and family members have shared tributes remembering Allison and the support she provided to those around her.
Cassie Daniel, the friend Allison had traveled to Houston to help during treatment for stage 4 cancer, described her as someone who had been caring for her throughout her illness.
“Her number one mission was to help me beat this cancer,” Daniel said.
Daniel said Allison had driven her home from a chemotherapy appointment Friday night before the incident occurred while Allison was trying to find a parking space nearby.
Family members also described Allison as a compassionate and supportive person. Her nephew said she often spoke about empathy, family, and the importance of improving as individuals.
Court records indicate the suspect had previously been under supervision related to earlier felony charges.
During a court appearance, prosecutors said the suspect admitted to evading police and being in the stolen vehicle but denied involvement in the shooting.
Hall was denied bond during an initial hearing and is scheduled to return to court on March 23.
Allison is survived by her husband, Forest Allison, and their two children. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing.
