Ashanti Allen was found near Chimney Rock Road after relatives and searchers spent days looking for her.
HOUSTON, Texas — A missing person search for an eight-months-pregnant Houston woman ended with her body found near a southwest Houston park and the baby’s father charged with capital murder.
Ashanti Allen, 23, disappeared in April, setting off a search by relatives, police and Texas EquuSearch. Houston police later charged Kevin Faux, 24, in her death and said he was the father of her unborn child. Faux was arrested April 20 in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, after investigators followed a trail that included phone locations, surveillance video, witness statements and out-of-state travel. The case is now pending in Harris County.
The search began inside Allen’s family circle. On April 10, Allen’s mother received a message from Allen’s phone saying she was leaving and not coming back. Relatives said the wording was strange for Allen, who was close to giving birth and had been making plans for the baby. Her mother went to Allen’s apartment and found the car missing. Allen’s purse was there, but it appeared emptied. Her wallet, identification and credit cards were gone. The family reported her missing, and the concern grew because Allen’s pregnancy was considered high-risk. Her father, Edward Allen, later said the family had been hoping she would be found alive.
Police and relatives then tried to map Allen’s last known movements. Court documents described by local news outlets said a resident app opened a door at Allen’s South Main Street apartment complex at 2:22 a.m. April 10. Surveillance video showed Allen and Faux walking to the parking garage, and Allen’s vehicle left at 2:25 a.m. License plate readers later captured the vehicle on the South Loop West service road. That timeline placed Allen with Faux shortly before the family received the unusual message. Investigators have not publicly released the full video, and the exact circumstances of Allen’s departure from the apartment remain part of the criminal case.
Family members used phone tracking as they searched. Allen’s brother traced her phone to a home connected to Faux’s mother on the evening of April 10, according to reports citing charging documents. Faux’s mother called him while relatives were there, and he allegedly said he had not seen Allen in about a week. Police later found Allen’s vehicle parked near that home. Investigators said doorbell video showed Faux arriving and leaving several times that day. On April 15, a city employee found Allen’s phone at Edgewood Park. Those details, taken together, helped investigators follow the movement of Allen’s property after she vanished.
The search ended the next morning. Houston police said homicide investigators working the missing person case, assisted by Texas EquuSearch, found a woman’s body at 11655 Chimney Rock Road about 9 a.m. April 16. The victim was later identified as Allen. Local reports citing charging documents said a cord was wrapped around her neck and tied in knots. Police said an autopsy would determine the cause and manner of death. The discovery changed the public posture of the case. Faux, who was not in custody at the time, was named as a suspect, and police asked for information about his whereabouts.
While searchers were looking in Houston, investigators say Faux had traveled to Louisiana. Court documents said he contacted a woman in Jefferson Parish on April 10 and told her he had bought a bus ticket to visit. She told investigators she had met him online and that he arrived around 5 a.m. April 12. He allegedly told her he was involved in a Houston missing person case involving his “baby mama” and asked her not to look up the story. She later became suspicious after seeing reports and noticing that he was using Allen’s debit card. Investigators said information from Louisiana helped lead them to Faux.
The U.S. Marshals Service New Orleans Task Force arrested Faux at an apartment in Gretna, Louisiana, on April 20, authorities said. Houston police said he was awaiting extradition to Harris County. The department’s updated release identified Allen by name and said Faux was charged with capital murder in the 228th Criminal District Court. Police said detectives developed Faux as the suspect during the investigation and learned he was the father of Allen’s unborn child. The charge remains an accusation, and Faux has not been convicted. His next steps were expected to include transfer proceedings and appearances before a Harris County judge.
The case also revived attention on Faux’s prior record. Houston news outlets reported that court records showed previous assault-related cases, including allegations involving Allen. Reports said Faux pleaded guilty in February to assault of a family member after a more serious charge was reduced and was released with credit for time served. Allen’s family said the earlier case left them with questions about how much protection Allen had before her death. Those concerns are separate from the capital murder prosecution, but they have become part of the public response to the case and may shape how relatives speak about it as court hearings continue.
Relatives and searchers described Allen as excited about her son’s arrival. Family members said she was preparing for the final weeks of pregnancy and had talked about buying items for the baby, including a car seat and stroller. Edward Allen said the baby would have been his first grandson. Texas EquuSearch thanked volunteers and members who helped in the search, saying they had given their all. The discovery near Chimney Rock Park left the family planning a funeral instead of a birth. At a vigil, relatives spoke about Allen’s life, the baby and the pain of losing both at once.
The legal case is expected to rely on a mix of physical evidence, digital records and witness accounts. Prosecutors may point to surveillance footage, phone data, the location of Allen’s car and phone, statements from the FaceTime witness, the Louisiana witness and any forensic findings from the medical examiner. Defense attorneys may challenge how that evidence was gathered or interpreted. Police have not released a full motive or all investigative materials. The public record still leaves unanswered questions about the final moments before Allen’s death and the precise path from the apartment complex to the place where she was found.
The search for Faux has ended, but the court case had not. Allen and her unborn child remain at the center of a pending capital murder prosecution in Harris County.
Author note: Last updated May 9, 2026.