Parents of Mom Killed with Her 2 Children in Murder-Suicide Sue, Allege Husband Hid $1.4M Before Deaths

The lawsuit claims Ring camera recordings captured Matthew Mitchell speaking about financial troubles and killing his family in the days before their deaths

NEED TO KNOW

• Thy Mai Mitchell’s parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit two months after she and her two children were killed in an apparent murder-suicide
• The lawsuit alleges Matthew Mitchell planned the killings for days as he faced financial troubles and concerns over alleged fraud
• Thy’s parents also allege $1.4 million was moved before the deaths in an effort to shield the funds from potential claims

The parents of a Houston restaurateur who was killed alongside her two young children in an apparent murder-suicide are seeking justice in a new wrongful death lawsuit.

Thuy Mai and Lan Huong Tran, the parents of Thy Mai Mitchell, 39, and grandparents of Maya, 8, and Maxwell, 4, filed a wrongful death lawsuit following the May 4 deaths of their daughter and grandchildren, according to an amended petition obtained by PEOPLE.

The lawsuit names the estate of Thy’s deceased husband, Matthew Mitchell, 52, as well as his mother, Bettie Elaine Mitchell, and sister, Meredith Mitchell.

Thy’s parents allege Matthew had been contemplating the killings for days as he faced financial problems and worried about the potential fallout from what he described as “fraud.”

The suit further alleges that Matthew worked with his mother and sister before the deaths to move $1.4 million from trusts and other accounts in an effort to keep the money out of reach of people who could potentially seek to recover it, according to the complaint.

“In these proceedings, Plaintiffs seek more than monetary compensation,” the lawsuit states. “While no amount of money can restore the lives that were taken or heal the profound loss inflicted upon this family, this lawsuit is about accountability and justice.”

Matthew, Thy and their two children were found with gunshot wounds inside their River Oaks home on May 4.

Houston police previously said officers responded to the residence at approximately 5:25 p.m. local time for a welfare check after the family had not been heard from or seen since the previous night. Officers entered the home and found four people unresponsive.

Evidence at the scene showed “the male shot the three victims and then shot himself,” police said at the time.

Now, Thy’s parents claim recordings from the family’s Ring cameras offer a glimpse into Matthew’s state of mind in the days leading up to the deaths.

The lawsuit includes excerpts from recordings that the complaint says were captured over more than a week in which Matthew spoke about losing money, being sued and ending his life.

On April 27, one week before the deaths, a man the filing alleges to be Matthew can be heard saying “You’re gonna get sued into oblivion. Everybody is gonna sue you,” in a clip of the Ring camera footage that accompanied the filing.

In a clip recorded on that same day, Matthew can be heard saying, “I gotta kill everybody,” according to the filing.

However, the recordings described in the lawsuit also captured everyday moments between Matthew and his family as the days went on.

On April 30, Thy and one of the children can be heard saying, “Bye, Daddy. I love you,” as they got ready for school, according to the filing.

“Rather than own up to the financial loss and fraud that he had committed, and face the shame that it would bring, he elected to murder his entire family and then kill himself,” the lawsuit alleges.

Thy’s parents are seeking damages for the death of their daughter, including for the mental anguish and loss of companionship they say they have suffered.

“In a single, incomprehensible act of violence, Plaintiffs lost not only their beloved daughter, but also their two young grandchildren,” the lawsuit states. “No parent should ever endure such a loss, much less the destruction of an entire generation of their family in a single day.”

The filing also raises questions about what happened to $1.4 million before and after the family’s deaths.

Thy’s parents allege that in the days before the killings, Matthew and his mother moved money from trusts and other accounts tied to him. They claim the funds were shifted into accounts held by Bettie to shield them from potential creditors amid alleged fraud and financial trouble, according to the complaint.

Matthew’s sister, Meredith, who served as trustee of at least one trust, is also accused of helping carry out the transfers in the complaint.

In total, the lawsuit claims about $1.4 million was moved into Bettie’s accounts, and that after the deaths, the money was later returned to its original sources in an effort to hide the transfers.

Thy’s parents are now asking the court to preserve the disputed $1.4 million and any assets connected to it as the case moves forward. They are also seeking to prevent certain money from Matthew’s estate from being distributed and to restrict actions involving the couple’s restaurants, Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart, while the lawsuit is pending.

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Thy and Matthew were prominent restaurateurs in Houston, opening Traveler’s Table in October 2019 and Traveler’s Cart in 2024.

Following the family’s deaths, Thy’s sister, Ly Mai, shared the family’s grief in a Facebook post.

“We are heartbroken to share that my sister, Thy, and her beloved children, Maya and Max, passed away last night,” she wrote at the time.

“Our family is grieving deeply and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time. Funeral arrangements will be shared when they are available. Thank you for your understanding and support,” she added.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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