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Family seeks answers about their soldier son’s death
By BRENDA EVANS
A local family is grieving yet is seeking answers.
Police notified family members Sunday morning that their son was found dead in Houston sometime during the night.
James and Dewanna Mayo of Pasadena were contacted by Houston Police Department on Sunday morning and were informed that their 25-year-old son, Christopher, had been found in his burning vehicle in the Westheimer-Gessner area. He was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head. Their family dog, Boudreaux, was also in the car and died.
Just hours earlier, Christopher Mayo had sat up with his father viewing pictures and videos on his laptop of the two tours he had recently completed in Iraq.
Spc. Christopher Mayo graduated from Pasadena High School in 2001, attended San Jacinto College and joined the Army in 2003. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal in 2005 for outstanding service during combat operations and in April he returned from his second 15-month tour in Iraq.
Mayo’s mother, Dewanna, said police aren’t telling them very much so until they know more, they have tried piecing together what might have happened. They are hoping that somebody in the early morning hours of Sunday may have witnessed the event that led to Mayo’s death.
“He had gone to the Valero by our house (on Peachwood) about 2 a.m.,” said Dewanna Mayo. “He came home and told my husband that two black guys had tried to sell him some drugs while he was there. He said they were following him home so he pulled over before he got to the house and they went around him.”
Mayo drove the rest of the way home, then went back into his house.
“After telling his dad what happened, he looked out the window and watched them pass back by,” his mother said. “He told his dad they had gone to the end of the street, had turned around and come back.”
She said her husband and son then began watching videos and viewing photos of his two tours in Iraq from his laptop.
“About 3:30 or 4 a.m., my husband fell asleep on the sofa,” she said.
She said that when HPD found her son he had the same clothes on that he had been wearing all day — shorts and a jersey.
“When he was watching the videos with his dad, he was in his underwear,” she said. “He was in for the night.”
Dewanna Mayo doesn’t know what happened.
“He may have heard something outside, thrown on his clothes and went outside and the dog followed him,” she said. “He could have been abducted by the two men (who tried to sell him drugs).”
She considered several recent incidents around the Pasadena area involved people being taken in their own cars, robbed and then driven elsewhere.
“I don’t know if he was robbed or not,” she said. “His wallet wasn’t on his body, but it could have been on the center console. They didn’t take his phone or his mp3 player.”
Dewanna Mayo said she woke up about 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
“Chris was gone and our dog was gone,” she said. “At first I thought that Chris had gone and let the dog outside.”
She said HPD is checking her son’s phone records to see if somebody called him, to see if he had possibly gone somewhere to meet someone.
“However,” she said, “it just didn’t make sense that the dog was in the car. That’s a 70-pound dog. My son doesn’t put that dog in his cadillac.”
Houston Crimestoppers will pay cash for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the events surrounding Chris Mayo’s murder. Callers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $5,000. Houston Crimestoppers can be reached at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).
The burial will be taken care of by the U.S. Army. The family is meeting with Army representatives today to make arrangements for the funeral.
“We’re moving to east Texas after this,” said Dewanna. “We’re getting out of town. It’s not like it used to be. It’s not like it was when I was growing up. It’s changed so much.”
Police notified family members Sunday morning that their son was found dead in Houston sometime during the night.
James and Dewanna Mayo of Pasadena were contacted by Houston Police Department on Sunday morning and were informed that their 25-year-old son, Christopher, had been found in his burning vehicle in the Westheimer-Gessner area. He was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head. Their family dog, Boudreaux, was also in the car and died.
Just hours earlier, Christopher Mayo had sat up with his father viewing pictures and videos on his laptop of the two tours he had recently completed in Iraq.
Spc. Christopher Mayo graduated from Pasadena High School in 2001, attended San Jacinto College and joined the Army in 2003. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal in 2005 for outstanding service during combat operations and in April he returned from his second 15-month tour in Iraq.
Mayo’s mother, Dewanna, said police aren’t telling them very much so until they know more, they have tried piecing together what might have happened. They are hoping that somebody in the early morning hours of Sunday may have witnessed the event that led to Mayo’s death.
“He had gone to the Valero by our house (on Peachwood) about 2 a.m.,” said Dewanna Mayo. “He came home and told my husband that two black guys had tried to sell him some drugs while he was there. He said they were following him home so he pulled over before he got to the house and they went around him.”
Mayo drove the rest of the way home, then went back into his house.
“After telling his dad what happened, he looked out the window and watched them pass back by,” his mother said. “He told his dad they had gone to the end of the street, had turned around and come back.”
She said her husband and son then began watching videos and viewing photos of his two tours in Iraq from his laptop.
“About 3:30 or 4 a.m., my husband fell asleep on the sofa,” she said.
She said that when HPD found her son he had the same clothes on that he had been wearing all day — shorts and a jersey.
“When he was watching the videos with his dad, he was in his underwear,” she said. “He was in for the night.”
Dewanna Mayo doesn’t know what happened.
“He may have heard something outside, thrown on his clothes and went outside and the dog followed him,” she said. “He could have been abducted by the two men (who tried to sell him drugs).”
She considered several recent incidents around the Pasadena area involved people being taken in their own cars, robbed and then driven elsewhere.
“I don’t know if he was robbed or not,” she said. “His wallet wasn’t on his body, but it could have been on the center console. They didn’t take his phone or his mp3 player.”
Dewanna Mayo said she woke up about 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
“Chris was gone and our dog was gone,” she said. “At first I thought that Chris had gone and let the dog outside.”
She said HPD is checking her son’s phone records to see if somebody called him, to see if he had possibly gone somewhere to meet someone.
“However,” she said, “it just didn’t make sense that the dog was in the car. That’s a 70-pound dog. My son doesn’t put that dog in his cadillac.”
Houston Crimestoppers will pay cash for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the events surrounding Chris Mayo’s murder. Callers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $5,000. Houston Crimestoppers can be reached at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).
The burial will be taken care of by the U.S. Army. The family is meeting with Army representatives today to make arrangements for the funeral.
“We’re moving to east Texas after this,” said Dewanna. “We’re getting out of town. It’s not like it used to be. It’s not like it was when I was growing up. It’s changed so much.”
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Reader Comments
ptownguy wrote on Sep 5, 2008 8:43 AM:
" I knew Chris Mayo for a very long time. We grew up in the same neighborhood and went to the same schools... Chris was a good person never causing any kind of drama and staying away from trouble. He was a good friend to all...I hope the culprits responsible for this are held to the highest degree punishable by law. It is truely sad that Chris never had the oppurtunity to start his life right here at home after his tours overseas in the Army. He went and fought for our country, for those very SOB's who murdered him, and this happens. Let GOD and the law show no mercy on the responsible parties........... My prayers are with Chris and his family. God bless you all!!! "
katbrgib wrote on Sep 5, 2008 2:56 PM:
" I was married to James's cousin and I only know Chris as a younger boy, but I know he comes from a good, loving family. My thoughts and prayers are with you James, Dewanna, Corrine and girls.
Love, Kathi "
Love, Kathi "
SPCpod wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:26 PM:
" I knew Chris from the army since he came to my unit back in korea, he was a great friend and a great soldier and im extremely sorry for your lost! I know that the people that took his life from him so soon will get caught and get what they deserve. "
mfudge wrote on Apr 25, 2009 7:17 AM:
" I recently met Chris' parents who are still awaiting justice for their sons murder. Hard to understand how something like this can happen and the homicide detective tell them they "KNOW WHO DID IT" and still no arrest. These people left Pasadena and moved away but with tears in their eyes this week told me of their very brave soldier who spent 5 years in the Army serving our country fighting for our freedom and came home only to be murdered by someone who clearly has no respect for life of others, nor respect for the law. HOW can they still be free?? What is going on with the Police? Such a terrible thing. GOD BLESS these people for they gave ALL. "
pasadenaof1956 wrote on Sep 5, 2008 5:46 AM:
God Bless Our Soldiers at Home and at War...............Amen "