Bayou Body Count: Fight To The Death Over A Window Frame

Houston police have arrested a man on suspicion of stabbing a good Samaritan to death. Roy Lee Powell, 60, is charged with allegedly murdering 33-year-old Burt Lee Hopkins late Wednesday.

According to police, Powell stole an aluminum window frame from a resident on the 4700 block of Russell. The homeowner went looking for the thief and bumped into Hopkins, who pointed Powell out walking down the street. The homeowner caught up to Powell at a bus stop at 4000 Cavalcade and the two began to fight. When Powell pulled out a knife, Hopkins tried to take it away and stop the fight. For his troubles, Hopkins was stabbed in the neck. He later died at LBJ Hospital.

 


View Larger Map Houston police are also investigating a pair of cases involving dead bodies that were found.

Early Thursday morning on the 7500 block of South Hall, a neighbor went outside to run an errand. He didn't get far before seeing a man's body lying in a ditch. Police arrived and declared the 48-year-old dead at the scene.

Police say a bicycle was in the middle of the street but was not damaged. Investigators are waiting for the autopsy report to figure out how the man died.


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Another body was found earlier this week, this time on Saturday, in the parking lot of the El Tanampa night club on the 12500 block of Market. The victim, a parking lot attendant at the club, was found facedown. Police say that two Hispanic men, both potential suspects, were seen driving away in a white Cadillac Escalade that had a damaged front end with green paint mixed in with the white paint.

The body had no visible wounds, police say, and investigators are waiting for the county medical examiner to determine how he died.


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Anyone with information concerning these investigation is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.