Sam Houston (State University) Student Killed in Murder-Suicide

KBTX ^ | December 4, 2006 | Meredith Stancik

[COEXERJ145]

Rachel Pendray, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Houston, was shot to death at the Brook Place Apartments in Huntsville at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, according to Huntsville police.

The 20 year old was killed by Jake Taylor, 24, a Houston resident who police say Pendray had known since high school.

"I'm sure if she was frightened of him, she would have called us," Sgt. Gary Howze with the Huntsville Police Department said. "He's been there before, she invited him into her apartment, and into her bedroom."

Later that night, her roommates heard gunshots and called police.

Police arrived at the Brook Place Apartments minutes after Pendray's roommates called 911. They found the door locked and when no one answered they forced their way in.

Pendray had been shot multiple times. Taylor sustained a self inflicted fatal wound.

"I don't know if he just snapped or what just happened," Howze said.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Stealing my bad joke.

[COEXERJ145]

Not this semester. This time my classes were online. Four more days and I'm done for the semester. :-)

[TexanByBirth]

That's what the official record says.

That pure B.S.!!!!!

Show me where the "official record" says that!

[TWfromTEXAS]

It went from Sam Houston Normal Institute to Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1923. Somehow I do not believe that people who wanted to be teachers in the early 1900's would wear anything like that on a shirt.

I would like to see where you got this.

[Rte66]

Good for you! Have a happy Christmas break!

[peggybac]

God bless her and her family. How are the Zetas holding up?

[TexanByBirth]

How are the Zetas holding up?

They are actually doing well. Yesterday was a day of shock to them. Most remained secluded in the sorority house through most of the day to avoid the media on campus.

The sad part was last night was suppose to be the Zetas end of semester Christmas Party. The girls decided to go ahead and have a meal together. A co-worker is a Zeta alum and went to the dinner. She said the girls held up well.

I can tell you and the rest of the Freepers out there that this has had a sobering effect on campus, particularly among the females. College kids can be a pretty ambivalent bunch. We have had kids killed in accidents and there never has been much of a reaction. But this tragic event, has deeply effected the student body and left people in shock. Everyone was talking about it yesterday and today.

[peggybac]

Thanks for the reply. God bless them and everyone on campus. I remember when I was in college, the Kappa Sig house caught fire and we all went down to see what was going on - 5 of the brothers died. I remember so clearly telling many of my sorority sisters the next morning what had happened. It effected the whole campus. The new freshman arrived for their first day on campus that day and felt the pain and sorrow of the small college.

[et10402]

That guy that is posting the Sam Houston Institute of Teaching needs to read the facts or go back to school himself. No school would ever put a verb into their name. A funny joke but not true.