HOUSTON – Police have arrested a suspect in the “sadistic” rape of an 80-year-old Houston woman.
Henry Price Jr., 46, has been charged with the November 23 attack in the 7200 block of Tanager in Southwest Houston.
Police say he is also a suspect in the December 21 rape of a 64-year-old woman in the 5800 block of Sugar Hill in the Tanglewood area.
“My heart just really goes out to the family. I have a 70-year-old mother. She is torn” said Price’s sister, Henrietta Gebryes. “I don’t actually know whether my brother is guilty.”
Price has a lengthy criminal history. He has served time for sexual abuse of a child, burglary, theft, evading arrest and drug possession, among others.
Price was paroled to a halfway house last August.
“He appeared to be someone who was coming back out with his head on right,” Gebryes said.
In December, Price was paroled to his sister’s home.
Last Friday,police showed up at Gebryes’ apartment with a search warrant.
“They had retrieved from my apartment a white shirt that allegedly was used during the time of the incident,” she said.
The first victim told investigators her attacker wore what looked like a supermarket worker’s shirt.
“Law enforcement believed he may have scoped out victims at grocery store where he worked,” community activist Quanell X said.
Price’s family believes HPD has made a DNA match for the first crime scene.
Quanell X said that’s not enough.
“We know the notorious HPD Crime Lab cannot be trusted and we want to make sure thru an independent DNA lab,” he said.
Price’s sister wishes she could say her brother was innocent but, based on his past, she’s just not convinced.
