HOUSTON – When a murder-suicide makes headlines, communities are often left shocked and searching for answers. Mental health experts say that reaction can remind people that you never know what’s really happening behind closed doors.
Trauma therapist Chau Nguyen says the assumption that tragedy could never happen close to home can be dangerous.
“You’re going to be like, we didn’t expect this. Nobody expected this,” Nguyen said.
Nguyen says family violence is not always predictable, but warning signs, many tied to mental health struggles, should never be ignored.
“Financial stress, domestic violence, distorted thoughts...they can all stack up,” she said.
She also points to access to a firearm in the home as a significant risk factor.
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“Add a gun to those stressors, and the risk goes up,” Nguyen said.
Scope of intimate partner violence in Texas
Data from the Texas Council on Family Violence shows more than 200 people were killed by an intimate partner across Texas in 2023. Of those victims, 179 were female. Firearms are consistently the most common means of death in intimate partner homicides involving women.
Nguyen says murder-suicides, while rare, follow a troubling pattern.
“We do know that murder-suicides are rare, but they’re often always committed by a man against his intimate partner or family members,” she said.
If something at home doesn’t feel right, Nguyen says there are steps you can take: pay close attention, listen without judgment, remove weapons from the home and reach out for help.
Nguyen adds that counseling and therapy can help families access support before a situation escalates.
“It doesn’t have to end this way,” she said.
Resources:
EMERGENCY: 9-1-1
Suicide, Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 9-8-8
Houston Area Women’s Center Hotline: 713-528-2121
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233)