Couple identified in apparent murder-suicide at Sugar Land home, police say

SUGAR LAND, Texas – A husband and wife are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at their home in Sugar Land, police said Monday.

The incident was reported about 6 a.m. at 1215 Pendergrass Trail.

Sugar Land police said they responded to the home when someone hung up after calling 911. Officers arrived and found the bodies of Sreenivas Nakirekanti, 51, and his wife, 46-year-old Shanti Nakirekanti.

Officers said Shanti was found with a gunshot wound to her head in the driveway of the home on Pendergrass and Sheffield Court.

“Officers arrived on the scene and we found a dead female in the driveway. Looked like she had been shot one time in the head,” said Sugar Land police Chief Eric Robbins.

Sreenivas was found in the bedroom with a gunshot wound to the chest and a small handgun nearby, police said. 

Police said a preliminary investigation indicates Sreenivas shot and killed Shanti and then turned the gun on himself.

“A young female came outside and said that her father was still inside the house. Officers went inside and found an adult male apparently had a shot to the chest, self-inflicted apparently,” Robbins said. 

Police said the couple's 16-year-old daughter was in the house at the time of the shooting but was not hurt.

“There's no signs of a struggle or anything like that but we are still going through the entire house and making sure,” Robbins said.

Friends said Sreenivas sent an email to several of them at about the same time he called 911. It was unclear what he wrote.

People close to the couple said Sreenivas was a director at an energy company in Houston and Shanti was a computer programmer, and they didn’t know of any problems between the two.

“He’s one of the best friends for a lot of people, and his wife is known to a lot of people here in the community. They’re also involved in some charitable organizations. We are really shocked. What went on inside, we don’t know, so we’re trying to get more details from the police once they complete their investigation,” said a longtime friend at the scene. 

A neighbor told KPRC they are shocked because the couple seemed like a happy family.

“It was shocking, very shocking,” said neighbor Lou Le. “They portrayed a happy family.”

Friends said the couple also has a 21-year-old son who attends the University of Texas.

The Nakirekanti family released the following statement:

"We are deeply saddened by the sudden death of Shanti and Sreenivas Nakirekanti. Their children are safe and are being taken care of by close friends and family. Both Shanti and Sreenivas are highly regarded and loved by their friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers. They were actively involved in volunteering activities and truly believed in giving back to the community.

“We are still unable to come to terms with the events that may have led to their untimely death. Currently, our priority is to take care of the wellbeing of their children. We are working on determining the date to perform the last rites. Plans are underway to bring parents of the deceased from India to attend the event. We are requesting privacy while the authorities complete their investigation. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.”


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