Deputies said the suspect first claimed two people had been killed, but investigators found only one victim.
CROSBY, Texas — A 55-year-old woman has been charged with murder after deputies found 21-year-old Maysie Murphy shot to death Monday inside a Crosby-area home, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
Courtney Smith was booked into the Harris County Jail after investigators said she was involved in Murphy’s death at a home in the 17800 block of Adlong Johnson Road. The case drew attention because deputies said Smith had contacted authorities earlier and later made claims that did not match what investigators found at the scene.
Deputies were called to the home about 3:48 p.m. Monday after a woman requested to meet with law enforcement. When deputies arrived, they spoke with a woman they believed had placed the call. Officials said she told them she had killed her granddaughter and her boyfriend. Deputies entered the home and found Murphy dead with apparent gunshot wounds. They did not find a man at the scene. Major Ben Katrib of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said investigators had no evidence that a boyfriend had been killed or was involved.
Authorities said Smith and Murphy both lived at the home, which is owned by a couple who were out of town when deputies arrived. Investigators said Murphy was not Smith’s biological granddaughter, despite Smith’s reported statement to deputies. Katrib said Murphy was described as being like a granddaughter to the couple who owned the home. Officials also said Smith may have met the homeowners online before being allowed to stay there. The exact relationship between Smith and Murphy remained under investigation.
The sheriff’s office said deputies had been sent to the same home earlier Monday after Smith reported seeing demons and similar things. Officials said deputies responded around 1:30 p.m. but did not have enough information at that time to justify an emergency detention order. Katrib said deputies asked the proper questions before clearing the earlier call. Hours later, homicide detectives and crime scene investigators returned after Murphy was found dead.
Murphy’s family remembered her as warm, loving and close to her siblings. Her mother, Rachael Novak, said Murphy “would light up any room she walked into.” Her father, Patrick Murphy, said his daughter loved others deeply and was loved in return. Family statements described the loss as sudden and painful, with relatives saying the world felt darker without her.
Smith remained jailed on a murder charge as homicide detectives continued reviewing the shooting, the earlier call to deputies and statements made at the scene. Officials had not released a motive by Wednesday, May 20.
Author note: Last updated Wednesday, May 20, 2026.