Houston’s restaurant community is in shock after a beloved restaurateur family was found dead inside their upscale River Oaks home in what police believe was a murder-suicide.
According to the Houston Police Department, 52-year-old Matthew Mitchell, his wife and business partner Thy Mitchell, 39, and the couple’s two young children — an 8-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son — were discovered with gunshot wounds Monday evening.
Authorities say officers made the heartbreaking discovery around 5:30 p.m. after responding to a welfare check request. A family babysitter and a relative reportedly became concerned after they had not heard from or seen the family since the night before.
Investigators say preliminary evidence at the scene indicated Matthew Mitchell fatally shot his wife and children before turning the gun on himself.
“Evidence on scene indicated the incident was a murder-suicide in which the male shot the three victims and then shot himself,” police said in a statement.
The tragedy has stunned locals who knew the Mitchells through Houston’s restaurant scene. The couple owned Travelers Table, a popular restaurant known for serving globally inspired dishes based on the family’s travels around the world. They later expanded with Traveler’s Cart, a street-food concept that also gained a loyal following.
Their restaurants became well known beyond Texas after appearing on Food Network programs, including Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives hosted by Guy Fieri. One of the restaurants’ chefs also competed on Beat Bobby Flay and defeated celebrity chef Bobby Flay, according to local reports.
Matthew Mitchell’s professional background stretched far beyond the restaurant industry. According to his biography, he earned a degree from Emory University and previously worked as a writer and journalist in London, Paris, and New York before returning to Texas. He later attended Rice University and worked as a pharmaceutical CEO before eventually transitioning into the restaurant business.
Thy Mitchell also built an impressive career. She reportedly grew up helping at her family’s Vietnamese restaurant and later worked in hospitality and retail leadership roles at several Fortune 500 companies before opening restaurants with her husband.
On the Travelers Table website, the couple described how their shared love of food and travel brought them together.
Although police have not officially released the identities of the victims, Thy Mitchell’s sister, Ly Mai, publicly confirmed the deaths in an emotional Facebook post.
“We are heartbroken to share that my sister, Thy, and her beloved children, Maya and Max, passed away last night,” she wrote. “Our family is grieving deeply and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”