Harris County inmate now linked to 2008 murder of woman whose body was dumped at construction site

Joshua Sinclair Owens, 34 (HPD)

HOUSTON – Police have filed charges on a Harris County inmate accused of killing a woman whose body was found at a construction site on Houston’s south side in 2008.

The suspect, identified as Joshua Sinclair Owens, 34, has been charged with murder in the 174th State District Court. Police believe he is responsible for killing 48-year-old Marsha Mitchell.

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Investigators said on June 11, 2008, Mitchell’s body was discovered in a field next to a construction site located at 2625 Reed Rd. at around 6:30 a.m. Officers learned she was last seen alive on the night of June 10, 2008, while getting into a vehicle with an unknown man at 12211 Fondren Rd.

Police said the investigation led to them identifying Owens, who was 19 at the time, as a suspect in the case. In 2022, additional DNA evidence and further investigation implicated Owens in the case and he was charged on Wednesday, June 21, HPD said.

Owens is in the Harris County Jail on a $500,000 bond and was previously being held there for unrelated charges. KPRC 2 is working to find out what those charges are. He is due in court on Oct. 9, 2023, for arraignment.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.


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Prairie View A&M University graduate with a master’s degree in Digital Media Studies from Sam Houston State. Delta woman. Proud aunt. Lover of the color purple. 💜

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