“JUST 24 HOURS BEFORE THE CRIME SCENE, THEY LOOKED LIKE THE PERFECT TEXAS POWER COUPLE.

The final public photos of the Mitchells captured them celebrating the success of their multimillion-dollar business empire.

Behind the smiles of the “Restaurateurs of the Year,” employees say there were no visible signs that anything was wrong…

They had status, financial success, and a luxury home in one of Houston’s most exclusive neighborhoods.

So what happened inside that $1.2 million mansion that investigators now believe led to a deadly tragedy?

📌 Full details in the comments”

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What we know about the River Oaks murder-suicide case of Traveler’s Table owner Thy Mitchell’s family

Photos and bouquets are seen in front of a River Oaks home where police found a family of four dead with gunshot wounds in Houston, Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle

Harris County’s medical examiner has confirmed Houston restaurateurs Matthew and Thy Mitchell and their two children were pronounced dead on Monday — the same day police said a suspected murder-suicide left a family of four dead at their River Oaks home.

A 52-year-old man shot a 4-year-old boy, 8-year-old girl, 39-year-old woman and himself on the 2100 block of Kingston Street, where patrol units responded for a welfare check Monday evening, according to the Houston Police Department. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has now confirmed the deaths of the entire Mitchell family — Thy, Matthew and their children Maya and Max.

Matthew died by suicide, and Thy was shot and killed in a homicide, according to the medical examiner. Causes of death were not available for the two children as of Thursday morning.

Officers had been sent to 2113 Kingston St. in Houston’s River Oaks neighborhood on Monday evening to check on the welfare of a family because they “had not been heard from or seen since the previous night,” according to a police department statement.

Responding police found the bodies of a man, 52; woman, 39; girl, 8; and boy, 4.

“Evidence on scene indicated the incident was a murder-suicide in which the male shot the three victims and then shot himself,” Houston police said.

Property records linked that address to Matthew Mitchell and his wife, Thy Mai Mitchell, owners and operators of popular Houston restaurants Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart.

A spokesperson for the restaurants confirmed their deaths.

“Thy was not only a client, but a great friend. She was a devoted mother and business woman, and we are completely devastated and heartbroken a million times over again,” a statement from South House PR, which represented the restaurants, said.

“If there was one thing about Thy, it’s that she was always on her own journey — always looking for the next adventure, and we had a blast doing it together,” the statement said. “She will be dearly missed by many, including our team, who’s had the privilege of telling her story the last few years.”

Traveler’s Table had been profiled on Guy Fieri’s Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

The restaurants have remained open and managers praised employees for coming to work under such trying conditions.

“As Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart remain open for business, we want to thank our loyal staff, who have shown up and worked through these difficult circumstances, ensuring that we continue to serve our community,” according to a company statement on Wednesday.

“We are asking for unity and respect for our privacy as we navigate this immense loss. Hospitality comes from within, and to honor the Traveler’s Legacy, we will continue to welcome you into our restaurants.”

Ly Mai, a sister and aunt of the victims, posted pictures of the three in announcing they had “passed away” on Monday night — without mentioning the circumstance of the deaths or identifying their killer.

“Our family is grieving deeply and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” the heartbroken sister and aunt wrote.