Police in Houston entered a quiet River Oaks home on Monday evening and found a family of four dead, ending more than a day of unanswered calls that had raised concern.
According to authorities, wealthy restaurateur Matthew Mitchell, 52, shot his pregnant wife, Thy Mitchell, 39, and their two young children before turning the gun on himself. The couple, extremely popular in the city's restaurant scene, had built a life around food and travel.
Investigators say there were no prior calls to the home, and no clear motive has been released.
River Oaks Murder-Suicide: How the Family Was Found
The Houston Police Department said officers were called to a home on Kingston Street in the Glendower Court area of River Oaks around 5:26pm on 4 May 2026 for a welfare check.
According to reports, a babysitter and a relative had not heard from the family for more than 24 hours.
Inside the $1.2 million home, officers found Matthew and Thy Mitchell dead alongside their children — 8-year-old Maya and 4-year-old Max. Police said all four had gunshot wounds. The children were found in their beds.
Investigators have classified the case as a murder-suicide, saying evidence at the scene indicates Matthew Mitchell shot his family before killing himself.
Who Was Matthew Mitchell?
Matthew Mitchell had a varied career before entering the restaurant world. He studied at Emory University and later attended Rice University. Early in his career, he worked as a journalist in cities including London, Paris and New York.
He later moved into the pharmaceutical industry, eventually becoming president and CEO of a Texas-based clinical research company, a role he held for more than a decade.
In a major career shift, Mitchell trained at the Art Institute of Houston and went on to open Traveller's Table in 2019 with his wife. The restaurant, known for globally inspired dishes, gained national attention, including appearances on television food programmes.
He later expanded the brand with a street-food concept and a travel apparel line.
Thy Mitchell: The Force Behind the Couple's Business
Thy Mitchell, a first-generation Vietnamese-American, grew up in Houston and was introduced to the restaurant world at a young age through her family's business.
According to the details available, she studied at the University of Houston and worked in corporate roles with major hospitality and retail companies before moving fully into the couple's ventures.
Colleagues often described her as the public face of their restaurants — leading operations, shaping concepts and working closely with the local community. She had also recently joined the board of the Houston chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association.
A Family Known in Houston's Food Scene
The couple met around 2010 and built both a business and a family together. They married in Mexico and shared a focus on travel, often visiting international destinations to inspire their menus.
In 2025, the Houston chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association named them Restaurateurs of the Year.
Friends and colleagues describe them as energetic and deeply involved in the city's dining community. There had been no public signs of trouble, and police say there were no previous domestic disturbance calls linked to the home.
Authorities have not released a motive, note, or details about what led to the killings. The case remains under investigation, though officials say there is no indication of outside involvement.
A statement shared by Thy Mitchell's sister confirmed the deaths of Thy and her children, asking for privacy as the family grieves.
