Read Blog

Read Blog
July 4 Road Closures

°

Homepage / Houston News
Text Size

Prosecutor: Father Used Cleaning Supplies To Cover Up Crime

POSTED: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
UPDATED: 6:43 pm CDT June 25, 2008

A man accused of killing his two young children appeared in court Wednesday as more details came out about the case, including how he allegedly covered up the crime, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Prosecutors said Randy Sylvester, 27, was the last person to see his 7-year-old son Randy Jr. and his 3-year-old daughter, Denim, alive on Father's Day. He has been charged with two counts of capital murder.

The district attorney's office said Sylvester used cleaning supplies to cover up the crime in his Pasadena apartment. An "unknown violent episode" was given as the preliminary cause of death until specialists can examine the burned bodies more carefully.

The children's charred remains were found early Saturday in a wooded area in southeast Houston off of Allendale Road near Old Galveston Road after police said Randy Sylvester told them to search there.

Police said Sylvester sublet his apartment to friends, but still had access to it. According to prosecutors, on the day the children went missing, Sylvester told his tenants they needed to leave the apartment for a few hours.

"When the two people went back to the apartment, there was an odor of cleaning supplies and the windows were open," prosecutor Stephen St. Martin said.

Prosecutors said a witness saw Sylvester on Father's Day putting a blue suitcase into the trunk of his car.

The burned remains of Denim were later found in a blue suitcase. The remains of Randy Jr. were found inside a wooden chest that used to be in Sylvester's apartment, according to authorities.

Investigators said they still do not have a motive for the killings.

"I have no idea -- none," St. Martin said.

The judge ruled that the case had probable cause to bind over to a grand jury.

Sylvester's newly appointed defense attorney said his client appears depressed.

"I think anybody would be if they had the media outside the courtroom and everybody was looking at him," defense attorney Jerome Godinich said.

Sylvester was on probation for drug charges when his children were killed. He is being held without bond. Prosecutors said they have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.

Texas EquuSearch has scheduled a memorial service for the children. It will take place on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Gateway Community Church, 760 Clear Lake City Blvd.

Officials said the children would be buried in New Orleans. The family relocated to Houston after Hurricane Katrina.

More Information:

Text Size

Sponsored Links

Links We Like
Sponsored Content
Learn the top five signs of common mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. More

To get the most out of your remodel, check out these 10 home updates that have the biggest payoffs when it comes time to sell your home. More

Find out what a sputtering economy and an increasingly difficult to crack job market means to you. More

Curious about what homes near you are in foreclosure? Want to be notified when a home enters foreclosure? Get all of that and more here. More

Most Popular

  • StoriesClick to Expand

  • VideosClick to Expand

    • Gas Tanker Rip-Offs Caught On Tape

      July 3, 2009: A gasoline tanker scam is broken up with three arrests after undercover Houston police officers tail a semi with video cameras. Stephen Dean reports.

    • Teen Found Dead In Closet

      July 3, 2009: A father finds his daughter dead inside a closet in their northwest Harris County home. Ryan Korsgard reports.

    • 16-Year-Old Arrested After Chase

      July 3, 2009: Two police cars crash during an 18-mile chase that results in a teenager's arrest. Mariza Reyes reports.

    • Man Charged In Funeral Home Shooting

      Richard Earl ToussiantJuly 3, 2009: A man is wanted after he allegedly fatally shot a man at a visitation for a deceased child. Mary Benton reports.

    • Light Show Displays Patriotism

      July 3, 2009: A Baytown man is putting on a patriotic show at his home to spread some cheer. Ryan Korsgard reports.

  • SlideshowsClick to Expand

    • Faces Of Michael Jackson

      Michael JacksonWhatever the reason, Michael Jackson's face underwent changes from the time he first hit the music scene in 1969 until his death.

    • Musicians Who Died Before Their Time

      Michael Jackson is one of many musicians who died before their time. Take a look at some of the other rockers who suffered premature deaths.