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On Thursday, August 11, 2016, Craig Porter, was sentenced to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the homicide of Cherita Thurman.
The Thurman homicide had remained unsolved for a decade, prior to being reopened and investigated again after evidence revealed that Porter’s DNA was found on several items of evidence at the crime scene.

Porter was found guilty by jury and the sentence was handed down by judge, in the 263rd Harris County Criminal District Court.

Porter was 32 years old when he murdered 22 year Thurman.

On the evening of September 3, 2002, Thurman and Porter returned to Thurman’s apartment. During the course of the evening Thurman was assaulted, bound with bed sheets and suffocated.

Thurman was discovered the following day by personnel that worked at the apartment complex.

The crime scene was processed for DNA. Suspect DNA was developed from evidence at the scene, but no match to a known individual was made.

All leads were exhausted during the original investigation and the case went cold.

On July 17, 2012, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit took another look at the case and conducted follow-up investigation. DNA analysis established that Porter’s DNA was identified on several items of evidence at the crime scene.

Additional information on the homicide was developed. Porter was located and interviewed by investigators.

On January 15, 2013, Porter was charged with the murder of Thurman.

Craig Porter has a violent criminal history that involves multiple robberies, assaults, narcotic charges and evading arrest.