Police in the Texas, US suburb of Sugarland are investigating the death of a Nigerian medical doctor, Ben Okigbo, and his wife, Theresa, who are believed to have died in a tragic case of a murder-suicide.
The couple’s children were believed to have been in the residence, located in the City of Greatwood, a sub-division of the wealthy Houston, Texas suburb of Sugarland. The incident occurred this past Friday.
Dr. Okigbo reportedly shot his wife, Theresa, who was a licensed nurse before killing himself.
According to Sugar Land police in Texas, the deceased also attempted to kill his 21-year-old sons, believed to be twins, by strangling them after shooting his wife.
The sons are believed to have survived the attack with injuries that are not life-threatening.
“On Friday morning, a daughter, who doesn’t live at home, went there after she became concerned. She wasn’t injured.
“Someone in the house called 9-1-1 Friday morning around 10 a.m. from the home in the 1500 block of Brookstone Lane. When officers arrived, they found the couple’s bodies inside. They were both in their 50s.
“A neighbour said they were originally from Nigeria but had lived in the Greatwood home for about 20 years. She said she spoke to the wife a few days ago and nothing seemed out of the ordinary,” the police said.
A Whatsapp message on the tragedy read thus: “At sunrise, Dr Ben Okigbo, a medical doctor in Houston, pulled up a handgun and fatally shot his wife. His wife was a nurse too. A few seconds later, he turned the gun on himself.
“These hours, their three children are dealing with the tragedy of losing their parents at home. We will never know why Dr Okigbo, decided to kill his wife and commit suicide after that.
“It’s my understanding that Dr Okigbo was originally from Idumuje Unor while his wife was from Akwukwu Igbo, both towns are in Delta State of Nigeria.”
In a related development, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has described the death of the late Dr. Okigbo and his deceased wife, Theresa, as shocking and depressing. NIDCOM’s Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement signed by the Head, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit of NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the Commission condoled with the family of the two deceased.
The Commission also condoled particularly with the deceased children and the Nigerian community in the US, saying “NIDCOM will continue to monitor police investigations into the unfortunate inciden