HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A man who was initially credited with saving his children from a house fire is now accused of setting the fire to cover up the murder of his mother-in-law.
Xavier Howard, 34, will go before a judge Wednesday morning. He’s charged with murder in the strangulation death of his mother-in-law, 53-year-old Tammy Mouton.
Investigators said the injuries Mouton sustained were not consistent with a house fire.
The incident happened around 5 a.m. on Jan. 7 at a home on Trementina Drive near Gavin Place Lane in northwest Harris County. Authorities were responding to an initial call of a house fire.
At the scene, crews said they found a family in the front yard, but Mouton had already died.
Investigators said the fire was contained to Mouton’s bedroom in the front of the house.
Investigators are now saying Howard allegedly strangled Mouton, and then intentionally set the home on fire, trying to hide the death. He allegedly fled the scene after setting the flames.
Howard’s 8- and 10-year-old children were still inside the home during the incident, investigators said.
According to court documents, Howard returned to the burning home a few minutes later and helped his neighbors pull his children out to the front yard.
At the time of the incident, officials said Howard was taken to the hospital with cuts to his body after trying to get his daughters out of the home. All three were treated for smoke inhalation.
As for the mother of the children, she was not home at the time, investigators said.
Investigators said Mouton had just recently moved into the residence.
Family members who gathered at the home that day were in tears talking about the loss of Mouton.
“I’m not going to be OK. My family is not going to be OK,” a relative said. “This is all new. It’s very shocking.”
Howard is scheduled to appear before a judge at 10 am. Wednesday.
