A 17-year-old Texas youth was arrested early Friday for allegedly fatally shooting his roommate and co-worker while taking down Christmas decorations at the home where they both lived.
Identified suspect Cayman Wilson was charged with manslaughter and is jailed at the Harris County Jail on $150,000 bail.
The victim’s family identified her as Marissa Dikeman, 19, a student at Houston Christian University, according to ABC13.
Authorities said the deadly shooting took place around 9 p.m. Thursday in the 4400 block of Sherri Lane in Crosby.
The young victim’s grandfather told the news outlet that he had left work, a family deer processing business, around 7:30 p.m. and returned home to remove the Christmas decorations with his other two co-workers, both 17 years old.
According to the family, Wilson and another minor were also Dikeman’s friends and roommates.
Wilson was apparently helping the girl remove the Christmas decorations when he grabbed a shotgun and fired at the young woman, killing her.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Greg Pinkins also told reporters that the firearm likely belonged to Dikeman’s two other roommates who were not present at the fatal event.
According to court documents, Wilson murdered Dikeman “while playing with a firearm.”
The victim’s grandparents described the shooter as a “good boy” and said they don’t want him to face criminal charges in this case.
“It’s bad enough that she has to live with what she went through for the rest of her life,” Dikeman’s grandfather said.
Wilson is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, January 4.
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