HARRIS COUNTY, Texas -- An Alief ISD trustee was brutally stabbed to death by her own son in an attack at her southwest Houston condo early Friday, sheriff’s deputies say.
Detectives said they found 22-year-old Blake Jefferson hiding in the closet of a nearby townhome he allegedly broke into after allegedly killing his mom, 48-year-old Dedré Jefferson.
“The family is deeply saddened and shocked and at this time and we’re in search of answers,” said family attorney and longtime friend Toni Jones. “She’s a mother, a daughter, a cousin, an aunt.” “Everybody loved Dedre, Dedre loved everybody.”
Alief ISD employee Desiree Charlton came by with a bouquet of flowers for her friend and colleague.
"My heart goes out to Mama Jefferson – that was her only daughter, her only grandson," said Desiree Charlton.
Investigators say Jefferson was stabbed multiple times while on the phone with her mother.
“Her daughter called her to tell her, her grandson was acting strangely then started screaming that he was stabbing her,” said Sgt. Ben Beall with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. “He began to hallucinate. He had taken some of her pills.”
Jefferson, who was treated for a possible drug overdose, has been charged with murder.
Jefferson is the last person that family Pastor Gregg Patrick expected to be accused.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Patrick told KHOU 11 News. “Something made him snap…”
“I baptized him at 8 years old. He’s been in my church most of his life.”
Patrick is the pastor at The Bridge Southwest Community Christian Center.
“He’s not a violent young man. He’s a very intelligent and thoughtful young man. He always has been.”
“He had been having visions. He had been having communication he felt with The Lord. I felt that I should meet with him immediately,” said Patrick.
But instead of that planned meeting with Jefferson and her son, Patrick now finds himself comforting their loved ones and searching for the same answers.
The 22-year-old suspect was a recent graduate of Texas Southern University and had a job, the pastor told KHOU 11 News.
Dedre Jefferson had survived cancer twice, according to her Facebook page.
“I just spoke with you two days ago.. I have no words,” wrote one friend.
“My heart is heavy and still trying to process it all,” wrote another.
Fellow Alief ISD board members were too devastated to talk about their colleague on camera.
The district said Jefferson made a lasting impression on everyone she met in the community.
"The Alief ISD family extends its deepest condolences to Dedré Jefferson's family. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dedré, who was a valued Alief family member and community member. Dedré was a proud Alief ISD graduate, former employee and current board member. She will be greatly missed."