[UPDATED] Father of Murdered Texas Lesbian Arrested In Connection With Deaths

Galveston area police arrested James Larry Cosby in connection with the murder of his daughter Britney Crosby and her partner Crystal Jackson. He is being charged with two counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the two deaths.

via ABC new affiliate

via ABC news affiliate

ABC News affiliate, KTRK in Houston reports that according to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, it appears the murders of the two women happened in James Cosby’s home. The investigation is still ongoing and can lead to other charges. He is being held in the Galveston County Jail on a total of $500,000 bonds.

Last night Britney Cosby’s family and friends held a vigil for the 24-year-old, where James Cosby spoke to the local TV news station. “You can’t really put something like this into words,” he said. Cosby is a registered sex offender who, in 1994, was convicted of sexual assault of a 22-year-old female.

KTRK in Houston reports that Britney Cosby and Crystal Jackson were “friends” but were actually a couple, just to be clear.

This is heartbreaking news. I’m sending positive vibes to the family and friends of the two women.

UPDATE 8:47 PM: MyFoxHouston reports that the Sheriff of Galveston County says he believes James Larry Cosby is the  man responsible for the double murder. As we said above, Cosby was a registered sex offender convicted of sexual assault in 1994. MyFoxHouston reports that he was released from prison in October 2013, for a different charge. The sheriff said he’ll likely be charged with murder but “Sheriff Trochesset would not say why Cosby has not been charged with murder just yet.”


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Yvonne

Yvonne S. Marquez is a lesbian journalist and former Autostraddle senior editor living in Dallas, TX. She writes about social justice, politics, activism and other things dear to her queer Latina heart. Yvonne was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter. Read more of her work at yvonnesmarquez.com.

Yvonne has written 206 articles for us.

18 Comments

    • I do not like the “guilty until proven innocent” stance behind this article in general, and this parenthetical comment particularly: ” ”You can’t really put something like this into words,” he said. (So sickening).”

      AS I love you and send you all the good vibes forever and ever, but I am disappointed in the choice to report on this story in this way, since I know this blog to be an oasis of compassion and understanding in the internet desert. Though it is possible the father is guilty, it’s equally possible from currently avail info that this is a grieving father and amazing ally, who found a crime scene and through panic or grief or sheer ignorance, modified the crime scene. The point is we just don’t know from current info. I look forward to insightful follow-ups that hopefully reflect a change towards “innocent until proven guilty”.

      • That’s why I said “I really hope…” The thing is, though, why would anyone mess with a crime scene/tamper with evidence? I am not being judge and jury here, either. It’s a legit question.

        You’re right, though, we can’t know right now.

        • ah sorry Shannon1981, I didn’t mean to post my comment as a reply to yours. I meant to direct my comment to the author(s) and editor(s) of the article, not to you. Sorry again. Yes I agree with you, I hope the father was not responsible for these murders.

  1. I just got home from work and saw this on the local news (I’m in Houston). Just to add some extra info, reporters from KHOU are saying that Cosby stopped their interview when the reporters asked about the girls’ relationship and also specifically requested that they be described as friends instead of partners. Not that it’s any less shitty that their relationship was covered up until now.

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