Police say evidence showed Matthew Mitchell shot his wife, Thy Mitchell, and their two children before killing himself.
HOUSTON, TX — Houston police are investigating the deaths of restaurateurs Matthew and Thy Mitchell and their two young children after officers found the family fatally shot Monday evening inside their River Oaks-area home.
The case has stunned Houston’s restaurant community because the Mitchells were known as the owners of Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart, two restaurants built around global dishes and the couple’s travels. Police said the shooting appeared to be a murder-suicide, with Matthew Mitchell, 52, identified as the suspect. Thy Mitchell was 39. Their children were an 8-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy.
Houston police said officers were sent at about 5:26 p.m. Monday to the 2100 block of Kingston Street for a welfare check after a babysitter became worried that she had not heard from the family. A relative also had concerns, officials said. Police said officers entered the home and found the four family members dead from gunshot wounds. Investigators said evidence at the scene showed the man shot the woman and two children before shooting himself. “Evidence on scene indicated the incident was a murder-suicide in which the male shot the three victims and then shot himself,” police said.
The deaths were later linked publicly to Matthew and Thy Mitchell by people close to the family and the restaurants. Thy Mitchell’s sister, Ly Mai, wrote in a public tribute that the family was grieving the loss of Thy and the children, Maya and Max. Authorities had not released a motive by Wednesday. Police also had not announced a full timeline for when the shootings occurred before the welfare check. Investigators said the case remained active and that the scene and other evidence were still being reviewed.
The Mitchells were familiar names in Houston dining. They opened Traveler’s Table in 2019 in the Montrose area with a menu shaped by international food and travel. They later opened Traveler’s Cart, a street-food-style restaurant, in 2024. The couple also operated a clothing brand called Foreign Fare. In 2025, the Houston Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association named them Restaurateurs of the Year. Craig Howard, the chapter president, said Thy Mitchell had hosted a board meeting last week. “Great operation. Wonderful staff, great food,” Howard said.
Friends and colleagues described Thy Mitchell as a visible and active part of the local restaurant scene. Chef Jassi Bindra, who had been planning a collaboration dinner with her, said the news was hard to process. “She was so energetic. She loved the restaurant world,” Bindra said. Howard said the association had asked Thy Mitchell to serve on its board because members saw her as a strong voice with new ideas. “It looked like this was a successful power couple doing this together,” Howard said.
Police said they found no recent record of domestic violence calls at the Kingston Street address. A review of county court records cited by local reports also did not show a prior history of civil lawsuits or criminal investigations involving the couple before the shooting. Officials have not said whether a weapon was recovered, whether notes or other writings were found, or whether investigators had identified any event that may have led to the deaths. Police said the absence of an earlier public record did not close the investigation into what happened inside the home.
The scene drew officers, investigators and grieving visitors to a quiet River Oaks-area street where neighbors said violence of that kind was rare. One neighbor, identified as Cindy, said she had lived in the neighborhood for 19 years and had not seen a similar tragedy there. “It’s very sad. I just shake for the little kids,” she said. Outside the home, friends and community members left flowers, photos and small tributes as word of the family’s deaths spread across Houston.
The Mitchell children’s deaths also touched a school community. Local reports said Maya Mitchell was a student at River Oaks Elementary School, where counseling support was made available after the deaths. Police have not released many details about the children, and family members have asked for privacy as relatives mourn. The restaurants remained open after the deaths, according to representatives, though the family had not issued a broad public statement beyond tributes shared by relatives and friends.
The Houston Police Department’s homicide division is leading the investigation. Because the suspected shooter is dead, no criminal charges are expected against another person unless investigators uncover evidence of outside involvement. Detectives are expected to continue reviewing the home, phone records, witness statements and the family’s recent contacts to establish a clearer timeline and possible motive. The Harris County medical examiner’s office is expected to make formal rulings on causes and manners of death.
As of Wednesday, police continued to describe the case as a murder-suicide and said the investigation remained open. The next major update is expected from investigators or the medical examiner as the timeline and official death findings are completed.
Author note: Last updated May 6, 2026.