A dad shot his daughter dead at his home in Texas, an inquest was told. The inquest exploring the facts of the death opened today at Cheshire Coroners Court in Warrington.
Lucy Harrison, 23, was on holiday visiting her dad with her boyfriend Sam Littler on January 10 when she was fatally shot from « medium range » at the detached house in Prosper, Texas. According to a medical report seen by the Liverpool ECHO, Lucy was shot in the chest by another person, with five witnesses present in the house when police arrived. It also stated Lucy had no alcohol or drugs in her system. The couple had arrived at her dad’s American home on December 28, having flown out from Heathrow airport.
The incident occurred at the home of her dad, Kris Harrison, in the small town of Prosper. Despite Lucy suffering a gunshot wound to her chest fired by another person, a grand jury found no one would be prosecuted over her death on June 10 last year.
A grand jury in Texas consists of 12 people who determine whether there is probable cause to believe a person committed a felony, assessing all evidence in private. Despite the person accused of committing a crime being charged by police, they are not named if the grand jury decides to conclude criminal proceedings.
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Lucy with her mum (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
Police in the town investigated the 23-year-old’s death as possible manslaughter but no criminal case was brought against her father after a Grand Jury in Collin County declined to indict him.
At the Cheshire Coroner’s Court inquest, Lucy’s boyfriend described a « big argument » she and her father had about Trump, who, at the time, was due to be inaugurated to begin his second term.
Littler, who travelled to the US with Harrison for the holiday, said she would often become upset with her father when he spoke about owning a gun.
Littler said on the morning of 10 January his partner had asked her father during the Trump row: « How would you feel if I was the girl in that situation and I’d been sexually assaulted? »
According to the BBC, Kris Harrison had replied that he had two other daughters who lived with him so it would not upset him that much.
Littler said Lucy was « quite upset » and ran upstairs.
He told the court that later that day, about half an hour before they were due to leave to go to the airport, Lucy Harrison had been in the kitchen when her father took her by the hand and led her into his ground floor bedroom.
About 15 seconds later he heard a loud bang and then heard Kris Harrison screaming for his wife, Heather, he said.
Littler said: « I remember running into the room and Lucy was lying on the floor near the entrance to the bathroom and Kris was just screaming, just sort of nonsense. »
Lucy and her dog Freddie in 2024 (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
Lucy and Sam were due to fly back to their newly bought home just hours after she was fatally injured at her dad’s place. Her mum, Jane Coates, was woken in the middle of the night by a knock on the door from Sam’s mum to tell her what had happened.
Jane told the ECHO: « I thought it was something to do with Lucy and Sam’s house but then she said she had been shot and she’s not made it. That just doesn’t process. I just ran up the stairs and into my bedroom. »
« I remember Helen sitting on the edge of the bed and I asked her if I was dreaming, it just did not compute, and she said no. »
The grieving mother continued: « She was full of energy and life, and she was bold and brave. She was so emotionally intelligent, she was able to feel everything and she wasn’t ashamed of feeling everything. »
Lucy attended Park Road Primary School, Great Sankey High School and Barrow Hall College, before studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. She earned a first-class degree in Fashion Buying and Merchandising before securing a job at Boohoo as a buyer’s admin assistant – a job she loved.
Despite the shocking events that took place at the beginning of last year, no American news outlet reported on the death until it was revealed in the UK a month after Lucy was killed.
Lucy’s dad (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
Following the sudden news her only daughter had died, what came next was just as turbulent as she struggled to get any information about the police investigation into her death.
At an inquest into the death of the young woman at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington today, February 10, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish heard from Mr Harrison’s counsel Ana Samuel, who argued the coroner was « potentially biased » as she applied for a recusal. She further claimed that the coroner was « trying to catch Mr Harrison out » due to not providing disclosure. She continued to say there was a « clear impression the inquest has been carried out in the way of a criminal investigation rather than that of a fact finding issue ».
When asked to comment on the coroner’s ability to provide a conclusion, she noted she would likely be looking at handing down the conclusion of unlawful killing. She said: « The only matter that is potentially relevant to you is what experience did Mr Harrison have, if any, with the firearm and whether Mr Harrison was under the influence. »
Lois Norris, representing Coates, said the application was an « ambush by Mr Harrison’s legal team ».
She said Kris Harrison was the « person in the room who shot Ms Harrison » and the only person who was in the room when it happened.
Ms Devonish declined to recuse the hearing and step down from conducting the inquest. She told the court: « Mr Harrison has lost his opportunity to provide his evidence. He was the only person in the room at the time Lucy was shot and it was important that he provided his statement of fact. There was no need for him to see the disclosure.
« I don’t provide bundles until we have the initial statement as I take it into account in reviewing evidence. »
Ms Devonish outlined that she has no relationship with those involved in the inquest, and as a result, had no need to step down from her role.
She continued: « I do not feel the need to stand down from this case today or at any time. »
Following further dispute from Ms Samuel, Ms Devonish said: « When I received the police statement he had lied about his drinking and had not admitted to being an alcoholic. »
She added: « He only said yesterday that he admits drinking alcohol on the day in question. »
Kris Harrison did not attend the hearing to give evidence. The inquest is listed to last for two days.
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