Charvas Thompson shoots Wendy Duan dead one week after meeting her on dating app. Arrested man had prior history of domestic violence. Alief ISD teacher remembered.
A Texas elementary school teacher who was shot dead in her backyard last weekend reportedly met her alleged killer on a dating app one week before her brutal murder.
The man accused of shooting and killing a Houston Alief ISD teacher last Saturday was arrested in Louisiana on Wednesday.
Investigators say Charvas Thompson, 26, and Wendy Duan, 28, met on the dating website, ‘Meet Me’ just days before shooting her multiple times.
According to Sugar Land Police Sergeant Matt Levan, Thompson and Duan, ‘… had just met face to face or in person on New Year’s Eve, so exactly a week prior to the murder,’ Levan said according to FOX26.
Around 9:50 p.m. last Saturday, investigators said the two were hanging out with Duan’s friends at her home on Oxford Mills Lane in Sugar Land when they started arguing.
New boyfriend had violent past
‘It had started inside the house. It kind of spilled into the backyard of the house. At that point, gunfire erupted, and our witnesses had actually left the house at that point for their own safety. She was shot multiple times, over 10 times, so a very brutal, very callous murder,’ Levan said.
Police say detectives were able to identify Thompson after interviewing witnesses, reviewing video, and confirming his vehicle from license plate recognition cameras in the area.
His car was later identified by surveillance cameras nearby and tracked to Shreveport, Louisiana, by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders’ Task Force. Authorities say Thompson was born in Louisiana and is believed to still have family in that area.
Police say an arrest warrant was issued for Thompson on Sunday morning charging him with murder and setting his bond at $500,000.
Court records reveal at the time of the slaying, Thompson was out on bond and had a violent past.
Last May, Thompson was charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend in Harris County. Sources close to the investigation told FOX26, the 26-year-old punched her in the face during an argument and was arrested. Documents say Thompson later posted a $1,000 PR bond.
Prior to that, Thompson had a theft charge from 2018 and a drug charge from 2021 in Montgomery County.
‘Do you like him?’ I said ‘no.”
Duan was a teacher at Boone Elementary School, according to Alief ISD. Those who knew her described her as a kind and soft-spoken person.
Martesha Haynes-Lagard said Duan dedicated her career to helping kids and spent her free time volunteering to feed the homeless.
‘She did have a great spirit. She was very nice and a loving person,’ Lagard said.
Duan’s mother said she had a bad feeling about Thompson and warned Duan about the danger of meeting a stranger online.
‘She showed me the picture,’ Duan’s mother told KHOU 11. ‘I don’t know his name. She just saying, ‘Do you like him?’ I said ‘no.”
Despite her strong intuition, Duan’s mother never imagined her daughter would end up dead.
Houston teacher of the year shot dead in domestic violence incident – no arrest https://t.co/TjM0jZ6NXp #Wendy Duan #Houston #Alief ISD teacher
— Scallywagandvagabond (@ScallywagNYC) January 9, 2023
Police urge vigilance when using dating apps
‘It’s unbelievable,’ she said.
Adding, ‘The guy is very evil. He took her life away. I hope this guy gets the full legal punishment.’
According to her mother, Duan was a dedicated teacher who put her students first.
Police warn anyone using dating apps, to be vigilant and extra careful.
‘If you do plan on meeting that individual, let your friends know, let your family know what you’re doing, who you’re going to meet with. Try to verify who you’re meeting with. Try to meet first couple times in a very public place, very open place where there’s people around you in a safe setting and a well-lit setting,’ said Sugar Land Police Chief Mark Poland.
Thompson is in the process of being extradited back to Texas.
‘Every Thursday she asks me to go to dollar store to buy gifts for kids,’ she said.