A mother who was allegedly killed by her son was well known for her work in Houston's Asian-American community.

Yuki Rogers, 50, died at her home in the 3200 block of Las Palmas Drive on Jan. 11.

Houston police said Rogers' 26-year-old son, James, shot her eight times.

Rogers spent her life raising money for nonprofit organizations and was a true friend to many.

"Yuki, to me, represents beauty … everything about her, from her looks and her heart," friend Mandy Kao said.

Rogers chaired events for the Asian American Family Services, was president of the Asian Chamber of Commerce and she attended many cultural events within the city.

"We are going to miss her so much. She was a beautiful person. She would walk into a room and people would turn their heads," friend Donna Fujimoto-Cole said.

Her friends said she had a passion to focus on mental health issues.

"Because of the mental health issues that she was basically battling in private," friend Kim Szeto said. "She told me that mental health was very close to her heart."

James Rogers served in Iraq, and had mental issues when he returned home, relatives said. Friends said they did not know about his problems.

"She didn't tell you about the sad things in her life. She always wanted to talk about the great things," Fujimoto-Cole said.

Yuki Rogers had four children with her husband, who died in a car accident several years ago.

James Rogers has been charged with murder. He has asked for a court-appointed attorney.

A dog and cat were also killed in the shooting.