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Mother of deceased woman asks council for clarity after conflicting HPD communications
Summary
A Houston resident whose daughter died in 2023 said she received conflicting statements from HPD and the Office of Police Oversight about whether investigators would continue the case; the council offered to connect her with HPD and the city investigator.
A Houston mother told the City Council on Sept. 9 that she has received conflicting information from Houston Police Department offices about whether investigators will continue reviewing her daughter’s death and asked the city to provide clarity and accountability.
Cadrian (Cadrian/Cadrian) Jones identified herself as the mother of Tamoria Rayshawn Jones, who died in Houston on July 1, 2023. She said she received an email on April 10 from Christina Nowak, deputy inspector general in the Office of Police Oversight, stating the case had been classified as a drug overdose and that no further investigation would be conducted. After filing an internal complaint with Internal Affairs, Jones said she then received a June 26 letter from Sergeant Vogue indicating further investigation was warranted — a contradiction she said the family urgently needs resolved.
“My family deserves transparency and Tamoria deserves a thorough and respectful investigation,” Jones told the council. She asked for a designated HPD contact to clarify whether the case remains open and to explain the conflicting letters.
Council response
The presiding official said an HPD officer was present in the chamber and asked Jones to speak with that officer after the meeting; the mayor’s office offered to refer her to the mayor’s staff contact, Rebecca Williams, to facilitate contact with an investigator if needed.
Why it matters: The family described inconsistent communications from HPD offices about the classification and status of a death investigation and sought assurance of a complete, consistent investigative process. The council pledged to follow up and to try to help the family obtain a clear response from HPD.
Next steps
The presiding official asked the family to speak with the HPD officer at the meeting and offered to have Mayor’s Office staff connect the family with an investigator if needed. No formal council action was taken Sept. 9.
