Father stabbed to death in southwest Harris County house

3 children left outside alone as father died inside home

SOUTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A father of three was found stabbed to death Tuesday night in his southwest Harris County house, deputies said.

Investigators said three children, ages 3, 5, and 9, were outside their home on Benford Drive and Bollingbrook Drive playing with their father. Around 8:30 p.m., a group showed up at the home. 

The suspects did not talk to the children, but they did begin having a discussion with their father, identified as Carlos Martin.

"They had a conversation with the decedent and went inside.  The kids remained outside and continued to play and they went to go back of the house. They discovered the house was locked and they couldn't get in," Harris County Deputy Robert Spurgeon said.

While inside, Martin was stabbed to death.  The killers locked the front doors and left out a back door.

The children said they could see their father inside, but could not get in to help him. A few hours later, their mother arrived home to find her husband dead.  She called 911. Deputies arrived but it was too late.

"When they arrived, the house was secured, but they could see that someone was injured in the house. They made forced entry into the house and found the individual (Martin) who was down, stabbed to death," Spurgeon said.

Carlos Martin was in his early 30s.  Investigators said he may have known the people who took his life. Deputies said the home was ransacked when they got inside. 

There were no signs of drugs, but there were signs of a robbery.