Painter stabs dad and son over contract dispute, Texas cops say. It was already paid

A contractor who painted a Texas family’s home later came back to confront the homeowners and “settle a contract dispute,” officials say. But that contract had already been paid off.

When the dad of the home opened the door to the painter who did work the week prior, the man demanded money, according to KTRK.

The father, his son and the contractor then got into a fight, said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

The dad was stabbed in the chest while in the home’s foyer, KHOU reported, and the adult son was stabbed in the head while he was trying to help his father.

The sheriff’s office responded to the north Houston home Thursday morning, according to a Tweet from Gonzalez. First responders took the two men to hospitals, where the dad was in critical condition and the son was stable. Their current conditions are unknown.

The painter “took items from the home” before leaving, officials say, and then he fled before deputies arrived.

Detectives are still investigating the root of the dispute, KTRK reported, as the contractor was already paid in full.

A warrant has been issued for the painter’s arrest, according to KHOU.

This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Painter stabs dad and son over contract dispute, Texas cops say. It was already paid."