Family urges 21-year-old son to turn himself in for fatal shooting of his father in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia family was ripped apart by gun violence last year when a young man allegedly shot and killed his father.

Now, a grandmother is making a plea for her grandson to turn himself in to the police.

April Johnson remembers her son, Micheal Lamar Houston, as a family man who was always smiling.

"He was a very happy person, a very outgoing person, a person who loves to be around people and smile all the time," she recalled.

She says Micheal and his oldest son, 21-year-old Jacque Houston, were inseparable.

"He was always with his dad, you know? His dad got them jobs and things like that, you know. So he was always with his father," said Johnson.

On March 9, 2023, police were called to a home along the 1500 block of South Dover Street in the Gray's Ferry section of Philadelphia.

There, investigators found Micheal suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later. The family dog was also shot and killed.

Philadelphia police say an argument led to the shooting. They have identified the suspect as Micheal's son, Jacque, and are currently looking for him.

His grandmother has a message for him.

"If Jacque can hear me, anywhere he is in this world, you know I still love you, but I don't like what you've done. You know you took a very good, you took my son from me and you need to hold yourself accountable and pay for that," she said.

The City of Philadelphia is offering up to $20,000 in reward money for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

All you have to do is call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS. All calls will remain anonymous.