Police detained a man after locating the victim’s missing vehicle, but no charges were announced early Sunday.
HOUSTON, TX — A co-owner of a north Houston smoke shop was found shot to death inside the business Saturday after an employee noticed the store’s “open” sign lit while the shop was supposed to be closed, police said. A person of interest was detained after officers later located the victim’s missing vehicle.
The killing set off a homicide investigation in an area lined with small storefronts and service businesses near North Houston Rosslyn Road. Detectives said surveillance video from inside the shop appears to show a man entering and leaving during the overnight hours, and investigators believe the shooting happened around midnight. Authorities did not release the victim’s name, and they said the investigation remained in its early stages as the detained man was taken to police headquarters for questioning.
Officers were called to the Daze Elevated smoke shop in the 8600 block of North Houston Rosslyn Road after an employee drove by around noon Saturday and saw something that did not fit the usual routine, investigators said. Police said the “open” sign was illuminated even though the business was not expected to be operating at that hour. The employee also noticed the owner’s vehicle was not parked outside as usual. The employee went inside to check on the business and found one of the co-owners dead in the back of the store, police said. Responding officers confirmed the death and secured the scene as detectives began collecting evidence.
Investigators said early information from surveillance footage suggested the shooting may have occurred around midnight, hours before the employee arrived. Detectives did not describe how the person seen on camera got into the store, whether the victim knew the suspect, or what happened in the moments leading up to the gunfire. Police also did not say what was taken from the business, if anything, or whether the killing appeared to be connected to a robbery. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office had not completed its review early Sunday to determine the official cause and manner of death, authorities said.
As officers worked the scene, they learned the victim’s vehicle was missing, police said. Patrol units later located the vehicle and conducted a felony stop, taking the driver into custody without incident. Investigators said the detained man matched the description of the person seen in the store’s surveillance video. The man was transported to Houston Police Department homicide headquarters for questioning. Police did not release the man’s name, his age, or where the vehicle was found. Authorities also did not say whether the vehicle was reported stolen before it was located.
In an earlier update Saturday evening, police said the person in custody had been arrested by a separate unit for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle that investigators believed was connected to the case. Homicide detectives had not yet interviewed that person at the time of that report, police said, and no formal charges related to the death had been filed. Investigators said they were continuing to review video and other evidence, including what was captured inside the store during the overnight hours.
Detectives did not release details about the victim beyond describing the person as a co-owner, leaving unanswered questions about how long the business had operated at the location and who else had access to the shop. Authorities also did not say whether the store had been the target of recent crime reports or calls for service. The area around the storefront was treated as an active crime scene Saturday afternoon, with investigators moving in and out of the business and focusing attention on the rear portion of the shop where the body was found, police said.
By Sunday morning, a memorial began growing outside the smoke shop, with community members leaving items near the entrance to mark the death, according to local coverage from the scene. Police have not described any witnesses who saw the shooting itself, and they did not say whether nearby businesses captured additional camera footage from the street. Investigators said the case was still developing and that additional details would be released as they were confirmed, including any potential charges tied to the person detained and the recovery of the vehicle.
Police said the detained man remained a person of interest while detectives continued interviews and reviewed surveillance footage. No court dates or hearings were announced early Sunday, and investigators said they were waiting on the medical examiner’s findings as part of the next steps in the case.
Author note: Last updated February 15, 2026.