Relatives speak out about lesbian couple slain in Texas

Relatives of one of two Houston women found dead near a garbage bin in the Galveston area are offering different takes on the relationship between the woman and her father.

James Larry Cosby faces two counts of tampering with physical evidence related to a corpse in the deaths of his daughter, Britney Cosby, and her girlfriend, Crystal Jackson, both 24. Their bodies were found March 7.

Britney Cosby’s mother, Loranda Remer, said the father had difficulty accepting that his daughter was gay and would “throw it in her face.”

But Annie Cosby, James Larry Cosby’s grandmother, told the Houston Chronicle her grandson and his daughter had a good relationship and he had no problem with his daughter’s sexual orientation.

Annie Cosby said she “never saw them having a misunderstanding or anything like that.”

The Associated Press’ attempts to reach Jackson’s relatives were unsuccessful.

Officials say Britney Cosby died from blows to the head and Jackson from a gunshot. Investigators believe the women were killed elsewhere and their bodies then dumped on Bolivar Peninsula, near Galveston.  

Separate funeral services were held Saturday for Britney Cosby and Crystal Jackson, KPRC-TV reported. A vigil for Jackson was held Friday night.

Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset has said it appears the women may have been killed in James Larry Cosby’s home, where he said investigators found “blood and other evidence.”

Trochesset did not immediately return a call from the AP. Trochesset has said the investigation is ongoing and charges could be upgraded to capital murder.

The criminal complaint against Cosby says he saw his daughter’s body on March 6 and failed to contact authorities.

According to the affidavit, a window shutter was missing from his home and a blood-stained one matching others on the house was found at the site where the bodies were. An investigator found a fingerprint matching Cosby’s on paper attached to the shutter, the affidavit states.

Cosby was arrested a few hours after a vigil was held for the women last week.

Harris County court records show Cosby had received a two-year prison term in 2011 for failing to register as a sex offender in connection with a 1994 aggravated assault conviction. He was released five months ago.

Court records also show a prior conviction for failure to register as a sex offender and convictions for assault and unlawfully carrying a weapon.

Authorities are also still looking for the victims’ vehicle, a silver 2006 Kia Sorento SUV with grey trim.