Houston Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Killing Girlfriend, Shooting Her Daughter
A 53-year-old Houston man was sentenced to 45 years in prison for killing his girlfriend and shooting her adult daughter during an argument in January 2023. The sentencing was announced late Tuesday by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
Christopher George Edwards pleaded guilty to murdering 41-year-old Tamarah Derry by shooting her in the face during a heated argument at their south Houston apartment on January 23, 2023. Edwards also shot Derry’s adult daughter, hitting her in the arm, before fleeing the scene.
Houston Police Department officers responded to the shooting and found Derry dead. They interviewed her daughter at the hospital and other witnesses before filing charges. Edwards was arrested days later after being recognized from media reports about the incident.
This is not Edwards’ first conviction for a violent crime. He previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for killing a girlfriend in 1988, for which he served nine years in prison.
On Tuesday, Edwards pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, receiving two concurrent 45-year prison sentences. Assistant District Attorney Rashonda Shaw, from the Domestic Violence Division, prosecuted the case.
Edwards must serve at least half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, and he cannot appeal the convictions or sentences.
