HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A 26-year-old man has been arrested by a SWAT team in connection with the fatal shooting of an Air Force veteran in the lobby of her downtown Houston apartment complex.
The Houston Police Department has charged Tristian Sanders with the murder of 34-year-old Vanity Williams, who was found dead last Friday at 1711 Caroline St.
Sanders was apprehended in Luling, Louisiana, and is currently being held at the St. Charles Parish Jail, awaiting extradition to Houston.
According to the Louisiana State Police, who assisted HPD with the arrest, Sanders was taken into custody by a SWAT team just after noon on Friday without incident.
Authorities have not provided details about the relationship between Sanders and Williams, but friends of the victim told that they knew each other.
Police identified Sanders as the primary suspect and tracked him to the greater New Orleans area, where he had been staying at various locations.
Friends of Williams expressed their disbelief and grief over her death, struggling to understand why she was targeted.
“She created and made a safe space for everybody, so to think that someone would want to hurt her and have a justified reason is something I cannot fathom,” said Hope Giselle, a friend of Williams.
