May 22, 2024 - A suspect charged and wanted in the fatal shooting of a woman at 8100 Martin Luther King Boulevard about 9:50 p.m. on April 27 has been arrested.

The suspect, Richard Taplin, 35, is charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful carry of a weapon with a felony conviction in the 208th State District Court.

Taplin is currently in custody in the Maricopa County Jail in Arizona. A Maricopa County booking photo is not available at this time. A 2023 Harris County booking photo of Taplin is attached to this news release.

He's accused in the death of Sarah Taplin, 24.

HPD Homicide Division Detectives K. Hale and B. Stephens reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call in a parking lot at the above address and found Ms. Taplin suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics pronounced her deceased at the scene.

Investigators learned that an argument took place between the victim and another unidentified female. The suspect, Richard, then took a firearm from someone nearby, pointed it at the unidentified female and fired at her as she fled.  While Richard shot at the unidentified female, he was also shooting indiscriminately into a crowded gas station parking lot across the street.

During the shooting, Sarah, the suspect's sister, was struck at least once. The suspect then fled the scene.

On Monday (May 20), a joint operation by the HPD Southeast Division Crime Suppression Team, the US Marshals Services' Gulf Coast Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force and Arizona Wanted Violent Offender Task Force arrested Taplin in Phoenix, Arizona. He was booked into the Maricopa County Jail and is awaiting extradition to Harris County.


Richard Taplin



Update: SOA/JKS      5-22-24
SOA/JKS  4-28-24
Inc. #060595124