What we know about the River Oaks murder-suicide case of Traveler’s Table owner Thy Mitchell’s family
Photos and bouquets are seen in front of a River Oaks home where police found a family of four dead with gunshot wounds in Houston, Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle
Harris County’s medical examiner has confirmed Houston restaurateurs Matthew and Thy Mitchell and their two children were pronounced dead on Monday ā the same day police said a suspected murder-suicide left a family of four dead at their River Oaks home.
A 52-year-old man shot a 4-year-old boy, 8-year-old girl, 39-year-old woman and himself on the 2100 block of Kingston Street, where patrol units responded for a welfare check Monday evening, according to the Houston Police Department.Ā The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has now confirmed the deaths of the entire Mitchell family ā Thy, Matthew and their children Maya and Max.
Matthew died by suicide, and Thy, Maya and Max died of gunshot wounds to the head, according to the medical examiner.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
‘A TRULY BEAUTIFUL SOUL’: Houston’s restaurant community mourns Thy Mitchell and her 2 children
In aĀ Facebook post on Tuesday, Thy’s sister Ly Mai had also said both her sister and the two children died on Monday. She did not reference Matthew Mitchell.
Want more Houston Chronicle?
Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search.
Add Preferred Source
Houston police have not identified any of the victims and were still investigating.
The Mitchells were influential in Houston’s dining scene for years, and the triple-murder suicide has devastated friends, family and colleagues throughout the area.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Here’s what we know so far about the case.
Owners Matthew and Thy Mitchell of the soon to open restaurant āTraveler’s Cartā, inspired by street food and food halls from around the world, is photographed on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 in Houston.
Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer
The Mitchells were prominent Houston restaurateurs
Thy and Matthew Mitchell owned Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart in Montrose. They launched Traveler’s Table in 2019 and introduced Traveler’s Cart in 2024.
The couple traveled together across the world, visiting countries from Morocco to France to inspire their dining brand in Houston. They started a travel clothing line called Foreign Fare in 2023.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Thy was born in Chicago and grew up in Houston, helping at her family’s Vietnamese restaurant and working in the industry as she studied at the University of Houston. She eventually entered the hospitality and retail industry, where she became an HR manager before returning to the restaurant business when she and Matthew opened Traveler’s Table.
Traveler’s Table on Westheimer is shown as of 2024 in this Google Maps street view image.
Google Maps
Matthew’s career began in journalism after he attended Emory University, and he wrote while living in France, Italy, England, Paris and New York. He started working in the pharmaceutical industry when he returned to Houston and served as the CEO of the Texas Center for Drug Development. He later entered culinary school and received a degree in culinary arts from the Art Institute of Houston before teaming up with Thy.
Police responded to a welfare check
A welfare check drew Houston police to the Mitchells’ home Monday evening following calls from a babysitter and the sister of one of the Mitchells. Authorities learned the family “had not been heard from or seen” since Sunday night, police wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Patrol units were dispatched at around 5:30 p.m., and officers found four people dead with gunshot wounds when they entered the home.
Two adults and two children were found dead in a River Oaks home owned by Traveler’s Table co-owners. Houston police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide.
John Wayne Ferguson/Houston Chronicle
Shooting circumstances remain unclear
Houston police have not released a motive for the shooting, and there were no calls for service at the familyās address during the last six months, according to the department.
It’s also unclear when the shooting occurred. Harris County’s Institute of Forensic Sciences, which serves as the county’s medical examiner, documented the family’s deaths at 6:11 p.m. ā over 40 minutes after the police dispatch.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
One child was River Oaks Elementary student
Maya Mitchell attended River Oaks Elementary School, according to Houston ISD. School counselors and crisis specialists were available to meet with students, parents and staff there on Tuesday, Principal William J. Dedrick said.
āIt is with deep regret that we inform you of a recent loss to our school community,ā Dedrick said in an email to parents, which the district shared with the Chronicle. āOne of our scholars died.ā
Houstonians lay flowers outside River Oaks home
Roses, hydrangeas and orchids rested outside the Mitchells’ River Oaks home on Kingston Street near Westheimer Road Tuesday evening.
Family photos were taped to a wall above.Ā The home was dark, and shades were drawn on the second floor.
Photos and bouquets are seen in front of a River Oaks home where police found a family of four dead with gunshot wounds in Houston, Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle
Mitchells’ restaurants remain open
Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart each remained open after the Mitchells’ deaths. Restaurant staff issued a statement Wednesday thanking their staff and asking the public for privacy.
“As Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart remain open for business, we want to thanks our loyal staff, who have shown up and worked through these difficult circumstances, ensuring that we continue to serve our community,” the statement reads. “We are asking for unity and respect for our privacy as we navigate this immense loss. Hospitality comes from within, and to honor the Traveler’s Legacy, we will continue to welcome you into our restaurant.”
This post includes previous reporting by Aviva Bechky, John Wayne Ferguson, Maliya Ellis and Sondra Hernandez.
News
āāI DONāT LIVE IN KATEāS SHADOW ā I SHINE BRIGHTER?āā A quote allegedly linked to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has reignited the internet war between her supporters and fans of Catherine, Princess of Wales. Some called it confidence, others saw it as a direct shot at Kate. But one strange detail behind the viral quote is now making the drama even messier ā and could spark the royal feud the public has been waiting to see explode again.
āāI DONāT LIVE IN KATEāS SHADOW ā I SHINE BRIGHTER?āā A quote allegedly linked to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has reignited the internet war between her supporters and fans of Catherine, Princess of Wales. Some called it confidence, others saw it as a direct shot at Kate. But one strange detail behind the viral quote […]
šØ LATEST UPDATE: āSHE OPENED HER EYESā¦ā š Sarah Danh, a San Antonio labor-and-delivery nurse, suddenly went into acute liver failure just days after arriving in Tokyo for her honeymoon. Doctors rushed her onto life support as her condition rapidly worsened ā and her family feared the worst. Now, something unexpected is happeningā¦ and loved ones are calling it a miracle no one saw coming. š Full story in the comments
Family says recovery of San Antonio nurse Sarah Danh is ‘nothing short of miraculous’ SAN ANTONIO – We are getting our first look at San Antonio nurse Sarah Danh since she awoke from a coma after suffering acute liver failure while on her honeymoon overseas, in what her family says can only be described as […]
āIāVE LOST MORE THAN A SISTERā¦ IāVE LOST A PART OF MY SOUL, AND I DONāT KNOW HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HER,āā Linda Robson cried, her voice shaking as tears streamed uncontrollably, saying a final, irreversible goodbye to Pauline Quirke ā the one person who stood beside her through every secret, every heartbreak, every chapter of her life. Those who witnessed the moment say Linda looked completely shattered, clinging to memories as if letting go would break her entirely. āShe knew everything about meā¦ things no one else ever will,ā Linda whispered, struggling to hold herself together. And as she walked away, utterly broken, one truth lingered in the air ā this wasnāt just goodbye to a friendā¦ it was the loss of a lifetime she knows she can never get back.
āIāVE LOST MORE THAN A SISTERā¦ IāVE LOST A PART OF MY SOUL, AND I DONāT KNOW HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HER,āā Linda Robson cried, her voice shaking as tears streamed uncontrollably, saying a final, irreversible goodbye to Pauline Quirke ā the one person who stood beside her through every secret, every heartbreak, every chapter […]
āTake That Filthy Gear Outside,ā Sister Slandered ā Until The Four-Star General Saluted Me.
āTake That Filthy Gear Outside,ā Sister Slandered ā Until The Four-Star General Saluted Me. I Showed Up After 72 Hours On A High-Stakes Extraction Mission. As Soon As I Walked In, My Sister Hissed, āKeep That Pathetic Gear Out Of My Sight!ā But What She Didnāt Know Was That The Joint Chiefs Were About To […]
š³ āI LIKE BEER.ā ā And then the entire sketch completely spiraled out of control. š»š„
Matt Damon storms into Saturday Night Live with full chaos energy as Brett Kavanaugh, turning a random D.C. dive bar into what viewers are calling one of the most aggressively overconfident cold opens in years. Between slurred āvictory speechā energy, absurd macho logic, and escalating nonsense, the entire sketch feels like three guys spiraling deeper […]
āMOM, WHY DOES DAD WANT TO HURT US?ā š¢ The pain in their voices is unbearable ā just moments before Thy Mitchellās children lost their lives at the hands of their father. Matthew Mitchell, a well-known restaurateur in Houston, allegedly killed his wife and kids before taking his own life. The question they asked their mother, āWhy does dad want to hurt us?ā echoes in the minds of everyone who hears it. What was going on in that house that led to such a heart-wrenching end?
Houston restaurateur allegedly shot his wife and 2 kids before turning the gun on himself HOUSTON (TCN) āĀ A restaurateur whose eatery was profiled on Guy Fieriās āDiners, Drive-Ins, and Divesā allegedly fatally shot his wife and their children before taking his own life.According to the Houston Police Department, officers were called on May 4 to […]
End of content
No more pages to load
