Mom of 4 shot, killed while driving in Texas, cops say. ‘A bright star in our family’

A mother of four who worked as a Papa John’s manager was shot in the head and died while driving in Texas, according to police and news reports.

The San Antonio Police Department said Julie Butcher, 31, was driving on an Interstate 35 access road Friday, Nov. 8, when she was shot in the head, according to KSAT.

It caused her to roll her vehicle over into a ditch, MySanAntonio.com reported. Police said she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the news outlet.

Police have not identified any suspects and a motive for the shooting is unclear.

Butcher, the general manager of a Papa John’s in New Braunfels, was known for her “strong work ethic and commitment to her job,” loved ones said in a GoFundMe.

She was married and was a mother to four children, Hailey, Jaxson, Michael and Kenneth, according to the GoFundMe.

“She was devoted in everything she did,” Albert Vega, speaking on behalf of the family, told KENS. “She was a star, a bright star in our family, she was a beacon for us. She was a lot of fun to be around and we miss her.”

Vega told KABB there is “a void in the family” after Butcher’s death. He is calling upon anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.

“Even someone who’s broken the law can be a role model to their children, their family, and the community by doing the right thing,” Vega told the news outlet. “It’s never too late to turn around and do the right thing.”

Police encouraged anyone who witnessed the shooting to contact their homicide unit at 210-207-7635, KENS reported.

This story was originally published November 12, 2024 at 11:06 AM with the headline "Mom of 4 shot, killed while driving in Texas, cops say. ‘A bright star in our family’."