Son of slain priest speaks from behind bars

HOUSTON – The teenager accused of killing his parents and younger brother said he knew police would catch him.

Isaac Tiharihondi, 19, spoke to Channel 2 Investigates' Jace Larson from jail Tuesday evening in his first interview. He refused to address his innocence or guilt.

Tiharihondi is faces capital murder charges in the deaths of his priest father, Israel Ahimbisibwe, his mother, Dorcus, and his 5-year-old brother, Israel Ahimbisibwe Jr.

He was extradited from Mississippi Monday, after police found him in a motel five days earlier.

"I don't talk to anyone," Tiharihondi told Channel 2 Investigates of his 24 hours in jail. He said he is being kept in a cell all by himself.

He said he knew of the serious charges against him but chose not to address them.

"I'm not going to say anything about my innocence or being guilty," he said. He suggested such questions be posed to his lawyer.

During the interview, he stood up rather than sitting on the seat in front of him. His hands were shackled.

Tiharihondi, who comes from a religious family, was asked if he prays. He responded, "No comment."

He declined to answer many questions, including whether he has been in contact with family members or friends.

Larson asked him, "Did you know police would find you?" Tiharihondi looked Larson straight in the eye and nodded his head yes.

Tiharihondi was pleasant during the interview and offered a "have a good night" at the end of the conversation with Larson.

Tiharihondi appeared in court earlier Tuesday and showed no expression on his face and only spoke when the judge asked him if she was pronouncing his name correctly.

"That's close," he said.

His court-appointed attorney, Alvin Nunnery, said there is no probable cause for capital murder and at this point, the evidence is all circumstantial.

"There was zero evidence I heard to connect him to the actual taking of anybody's life," Nunnery said.

However, he said there may be probable cause for credit card fraud, which could involve Tiharihondi using his parents' credit card.

"In my mind, he is a scared young kid," Nunnery said of his client.

He said up until now, the teen's only run-in with the law has been a case of shoplifting as a juvenile.

Tiharihondi's next court appearance is Monday.

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Feb. 9: Isaac Tiharihondi appeared in a downtown Houston courtroom. He was extradited from Mississippi, where police found and arrested him in a motel five days earlier.