Richard Lee Houston II was 46 and a 21-year veteran of the Mesquite Police Department when he was shot and killed on December 3, 2021 while responding to a disturbance in the 1500 block of South Beltline Road in Mesquite, Texas. The call led him to the Albertson’s grocery store parking area, where body camera footage shown at trial captured Jamie Jaramillo drawing a gun and shooting Houston multiple times. Houston was taken to Baylor Hospital and pronounced deceased at 2:11 p.m.

Jaramillo was charged with capital murder. During trial his daughter testified that she and her wife confronted him at the store over a suspected affair; the prosecutor said Jaramillo knew Houston was an officer, while the defense argued Jaramillo’s poor eyesight prevented him from recognizing who he was shooting. The jury convicted Jaramillo of capital murder and sentenced him to life without parole.

Houston had been widely commended during his career, receiving dozens of letters of commendation, two life-saving awards and a Certificate of Merit earlier in 2021. He is survived by his wife Shelley and their three children Shelby, Hannah and Lucas.

Did anyone who knew Officer Houston or was at the Albertson’s that day see something that hasn’t been shared publicly?