Beloved Texas Pastor, Wife and 5-Y-O Son Found Murdered; No Signs of Forced Entry
A community in Houston, Texas, was left in the throes of grief Monday after a beloved pastor, his wife, and 5-year-old son were discovered murdered in their home.
A click2Houston report said Israel Ahimbisibwe, vicar of Redeemer Episcopal Church in Houston, his wife, Dorcus, and their 5-year-old son, Israel Ahimbisibwe Jr., were found dead in their apartment unit in the 800 block of Strey Lane, just south of Memorial City Mall by firefighters at about 9:30 a.m. Monday.
Church members said they grew concerned after Ahimbisibwe and his wife failed to show up for church on Sunday and didn't return calls on Monday.
"He didn't show up for church yesterday afternoon, which is totally out of character for them not to let us know, and didn't respond to text or phone calls," said church member Keever Wallace.
Wallace said he and his wife, Brooke, had visited the apartment late Sunday but didn't get a response after they knocked on the door. They returned on Monday and summoned the Houston Fire Department to do a welfare check. The couple and their young son were found beaten to death. There were no signs of forced entry.
"I will say that they did suffer some type of unknown wounds," Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties told FOX 26. "It is being investigated as a homicide."
"This is a horrific and awful tragedy," noted Bishop of Texas C. Andrew Doyle in a release from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. "We are in touch with the police and Israel's family here in Houston. Please keep the Ahimbisibwe and Redeemer families in your prayers," he said.
The release further noted that Ahimbisibwe was ordained in the Church of Uganda and graduated with masters degrees from both Princeton Theological Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. After completing graduate research at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he earned an additional masters and doctorate from Rice University.
The couple leave behind two older sons, according to church members. One attends a private school in California while the other graduated from high school last year.
