Charges filed against man accused of fatally shooting man, woman in southeast Houston

Ex-boyfriend suspected in fatal double shooting

HOUSTON – Charges have been filed against a man accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend at a home in southeast Houston Monday morning.

Patrick J. Denton, 48, is charged with capital murder.  He remains on the loose.

Police were called just after 4:30 a.m. to a home in the 3800 block of Rosemont for reports of a shooting.  When officers arrived, they found the bodies of a man and woman.

The man, 27-year-old Nicholas Copeland, had been shot in the torso and the woman, 38-year-old Tina Carter, suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Both died at the scene.

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Houston police say 2 people, a man and woman, shot and killed inside home on Rosemont in SE Houston. Police believe it was an ex boyfriend who shot the woman in the head and the man in the stomach. KPRC2 #kprc2 #hounews

Posted by KPRC2 Sofia Ojeda on Monday, February 1, 2016

 

Detectives spoke to witnesses and collected evidence for hours. Neighbors said they heard four gunshots.

“I rushed over to try to help,” said Eugene Matthews, who lives next door. “I could tell that Tina had a lot of head trauma, and Nick was shot in the stomach. I gave him CPR, but it was too late."

 

According to Matthews, Denton was known in the neighborhood.

“I saw him walking down the street with a gun. He used to date Tina, but she broke up with him. I guess he thought this other guy was the reason, but that wasn’t the case. This is such a loss. Two beautiful people are now gone, and for what? He still didn’t get what he wanted. It’s tragic,” he said.

Copeland had a young daughter in elementary school. “Whoever did this didn’t just take his life,” a cousin of Copeland's said.

“My cousin had a daughter who depended on him, and he had a mother who loves him. This impacts so many people."

Anyone with information on Denton's whereabouts is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.