Police are asking for information related to the whereabouts of 21-year-old Deundrea Ford. She went missing a month ago in the early hours of September 21 in a Houston parking lot.
Her family suspects foul play and believe she was abducted. Kevin Carriere, Ford’s uncle, went to Diva’s, retrieved the surveillance footage, and gave it to the police. The video shows Ford “talking to an unknown man inside the bar and then leaving with him in a white van.”
Ford’s grandmother, Bridgette Carriere said “I just hope she’s alive.” Bridget said her disappearance is out of character especially because she’s a loving mom to her 4-year-old son.
“We were able to see her interact with what looks to be a Hispanic individual,” said Mr. Carriere. He continued, “He was buying her drinks. There were other females inside the establishment interacting with him, who seemed to have known him. Then, there is footage of them sitting in the van for maybe an hour, or so, before he just leaves.”
That was the last time Ford’s family has seen or heard from her.
New information has recently come to light: Ford was the main witness in a capital murder case.
Court documents reveal that Ford and Quitiana Taylor traveled together down to Baton Rouge, LA to work as dancers for “clients brought to them by a man named Otis Parker on May 10,” writes Fox.
A week later, Parker was driving the women back home. Police allege that Taylor planned to steal $1,500 cash from Parker. But, “[w]hen the three drove to the Villa Americana Apartments on Selinsky Road, Parker was shot and killed. Ford was listed as a passenger in the front passenger seat.”
The documents list Jamal Brown as the shooter along with Jarrell Wheeler, Taylor and Mariah Green as accomplices.
A month later, Brown was killed in a police shootout. Wheeler, Taylor and Green are still in jail.
While it is currently unknown if there is any connection between the two cases, Ford is the key witness in the case involving Wheeler, who is a former detention officer. According to ABC, “Wheeler and three others were charged with capital murder in the death of Otis Parker in May. They were also charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and Ford is listed as the victim.”
A connection between the cases seems even more likely after text messages were found that referenced Ford. One specifically stated, “She ain’t safe in Houston…at all.”
If anyone has information, police are asking them to “contact Houston Police Patrol at 713-884-3131 or Houston Police Missing Persons Division at 832-394-1840.”
