SOUTHWEST HOUSTON — Demolition is underway at an abandoned Wells Fargo building on Hillcroft Avenue near Westheimer Road in southwest Houston. A 25-year-old woman named Jade was found shot and killed inside the vacant structure on January 2, according to Houston police.

Jade was days away from turning 26 when she died. Her mother, Jennifer Davis, said, "It’s been extremely hard. I don’t wish this pain on anyone. Losing a child is an unbearable pain." Davis added, "I want to plea to the public for help, for their help, and anyone with any information that knew Jade, please come forward."

The former bank building had drawn repeated complaints over illegal dumping, debris, and safety hazards. Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas said homeless individuals frequently broke into the building, creating additional health and safety concerns.

Thomas, who has advocated for years to address the blighted property, said, "It just became an eyesore." She noted that after about 18 months of citations with little progress, Jade’s death intensified pressure on the property owner. "We had to ring the alarm in another way, and I called Public Works, like what can be done to escalate something," she said.

Davis expressed mixed emotions about the demolition. "Happy because it’s gone and maybe nothing like that will happen to someone else’s child," she said. Anyone with information about Jade’s death can contact the Houston Police Department Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.