Police traced a blood trail from the Third Ward parking lot to an apartment after responding to a report of gunfire.
HOUSTON, Texas — Houston police questioned two people after officers responding to a report of gunfire early Sunday found a person dead inside an overturned trash can at a Third Ward apartment complex and followed a trail of blood to a nearby unit.
The investigation began at about 12:13 a.m. Sept. 6 in the 3100 block of Anita Street, a residential area about 3 miles south of downtown Houston. Police said a 911 caller reported hearing gunshots and seeing someone apparently trying to place a body into a trash can. Officers later found the body in the parking lot. The victim had not been publicly identified, and authorities had not determined the cause or manner of death in the latest available reports.
Police said the caller had blocked the phone number, leaving responding officers unable to call back for more information before arriving. No witnesses were waiting for officers when they reached the small apartment complex, according to reports citing the Houston Police Department. Officers searched the property and located an overturned trash can containing the body.
Investigators initially could not determine what type of injuries the person had suffered. Police said they could not tell at the scene whether the death involved a gunshot wound, blunt-force injuries or another form of trauma. The original report of gunfire therefore had not been established as the cause of the person’s death. Homicide investigators were called to examine the scene and process evidence.
As officers searched the property, they found a trail of blood leading away from the parking area and toward an apartment, police said. Officers approached the unit and ordered a man inside to come out. When he did not comply, members of the Houston Police Department’s Patrol Support Team used breaching equipment to enter the apartment and take him into custody for questioning.
Police also questioned a second person in connection with the investigation. The Houston Chronicle reported that both people were detained for questioning, while ABC13 reported that police described them as persons of interest and said neither was under arrest at the time of its report. Authorities had not publicly identified either person or named an official suspect.
The discovery of the blood trail gave detectives another location to examine as they tried to reconstruct what happened before officers arrived. Police were processing evidence associated with the trash can, parking area and apartment. Authorities had not publicly disclosed what evidence was recovered inside the unit or said whether any evidence directly connected either person being questioned to the death.
Police also had not released the victim’s name, age or gender in the latest reports. No relationship between the person who died and the two people questioned had been announced. Investigators had not identified a motive, and no criminal charges had been filed in connection with the death.
The emergency call remained an important part of the investigation because it included both a report of gunfire and an account of someone apparently trying to move a body into a trash can. Police had not publicly said whether investigators had identified or interviewed the caller. The reported circumstances remained allegations from the initial call rather than established findings about how the person died.
The investigation remained active Sunday as authorities worked to identify the victim and determine the cause and manner of death. The latest publicly available reports did not announce any arrests, charges or official suspects, and police had not released a later finding explaining what happened before the body was found.
Author note: Last updated September 6, 2026.