Family says man accused of dual shooting is related to man who went missing in the Houston Heights

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A man accused of shooting his mother multiple times and killing her fiancé in west Houston appeared in probable cause court early Saturday.

Stephen Burkes, 27, is charged with murder and aggravated assault of a family member. According to court records, Burkes was denied a personal bond and set a $500,000 bond for each charge, totaling $1 million.

During his court appearance, the hearing officer said Burkes allegedly made a written statement confessing to the shooting.

The deadly shooting happened early Friday at a home in the 2300 block of Binley Drive near Wickersham Lane.

When officers with the Houston Police Department arrived at the scene, they found a 51-year-old man unresponsive in the front yard.

In a statement to , a family member says they’re in shock and confused about what happened.

“He never had a history or had any ill feelings towards women, especially his mother,” the family member said. They also added that Stephen “had been exhibiting signs of being bi-polar, but never anything this extreme.”

Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced the victim, Burkes’ mother’s fiancé, dead at the scene.

Family members told there was no altercation or aggression between Stephen and the fiancé, describing the incident as an accident caused by some mental health issue.

Paramedics advised officers that a 46-year-old woman, who police said is Burkes’ mother, was on the phone with their dispatch, saying she was inside the home and needed help because she had been shot multiple times.

Burkes’ mother was hiding in the living room when police discovered she was shot three times — in the face, arm, and leg, according to police. Investigators said she was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

Court documents read that Burkes was sitting outside in the patio area with the gun next to him and was taken into custody without incident.

Investigators said all three adults lived in the home.

It’s unclear exactly what led up to the shooting, but police said at some point, Burkes got ahold of a gun and opened fire.

When police arrived at the home, officers said the woman told them her son had mental health issues throughout his life.

Family members are asking for privacy after being in the spotlight just a few months ago.

Back in November, family members asked for the public’s help in locating one of their family members, Delano Burkes, who went missing after a night out in Houston Heights. Delano’s body was found in the Port of Houston almost two weeks later.

The mother, Karen Jeffley, spoke to back then when she was trying to locate her son.