A couple of weeks ago, on December 3, Mesquite, Texas police officer Richard Houston was shot and killed during a disturbance call.
At a Dec. 9 memorial service, the late officer’s 18-year-old daughter, Shelby, spoke to the crowd about the fate of Jamime Jaramillo, her father’s alleged killer.
“I’ve always had such a hard time with how the suspect is dealt with,” she said. “Not that I didn't think there should be justice served, but my heart always ached for those who don't know Jesus.”
The young woman said she and her father had talked about his dangerous job, and about how he had lost friends in the line of duty, but she looked past that despair and depended on her faith in her Savior.
“Part of me wishes I could despise the man who did this to my father,” she told the memorial service. “But I can't give any part of my heart to hate him.”
One day, she said, she plans to sit down with Jaramillo and share Jesus with him.
Officer Houston served 10 years as a Mesquite patrol officer, and also worked for the department's SWAT team and its criminal investigations unit. Over his career he earned 48 Letters of Commendation, two awards for saving lives, and one police commendation bar.
