Overview
- Houston police arrested 47-year-old Christopher Lee Bowden and charged him with capital murder in the death of 54-year-old Chun Fong Chen at the Tropical Tea karaoke bar in Alief.
- Court documents say Chen suffered blunt-force injuries from a hammer and allege the killing happened during a burglary or robbery, which qualifies the case for a capital charge under Texas law.
- KPRC reported that surveillance video appeared to show an attacker strike Chen behind the counter, take cash from a drawer, pour hot oil on him, and drive off in his minivan, citing a law enforcement source.
- A judge set Bowden’s bond at $1 million, and records show he now has a court-appointed lawyer with his next court date scheduled for late June.
- Police said a coworker found Chen in the business kitchen after checking on him following an overnight shift at the Bellaire Boulevard location, where the front door was locked and the back door was open.