American restaurant owner murders his pregnant Vietnamese-American wife and their two children.
A wealthy Houston restaurant owner has been identified as having shot and killed his pregnant Vietnamese-American wife and two young children before committing suicide in his $1.2 million mansion.
Matthew and Thy Mitchell’s family before the massacre. Photo: Instagram
The incident occurred on the evening of May 4th in the River Oaks neighborhood, one of the wealthiest residential areas in Houston, Texas. Police were called to investigate after the babysitter and her relatives were unable to contact the family for over a day.
At the scene, authorities found Matthew Mitchell, 52, dead along with his wife, Thy Mitchell, 39, and their two young children, ages 8 and 4. All died from gunshot wounds.
Authorities believe this was a murder-suicide, with the husband being the primary suspect. The children’s bodies were found in the bedroom, last seen the day before.
Several local newspapers, such as the Houston Chronicle, reported that Thy Mitchell is of Vietnamese American descent. She was born in Chicago, grew up in Houston, and was involved in the food business before co-founding Traveler’s Table restaurant with her husband.
The couple are considered successful entrepreneurs in Houston’s culinary world, having been honored as “Restaurant Owner of the Year” in 2025. Prior to that, Matthew Mitchell had a career in pharmaceuticals and served as CEO at a clinical research company.
Thy and her mother during a visit to Hanoi in 2024. Photo: Instagram
A neighbor living near the scene said the River Oaks area was usually very peaceful and rarely experienced serious crimes. “We’ve never seen anything like this. It’s heartbreaking to think about the children,” the neighbor said.
Authorities have not released the motive for the incident and said the investigation is ongoing.
