Yoshea Jarmon

Case background and investigation

On September 15, 2007, Yoshea Jarmon, 29, was found dead inside her apartment at 9555 Crofton Street in northeast Houston. Her brother, Terance Jarmon, told ABC13 that neighbors had called to say her two young children were alone outside the apartment, and that he found her body in a closet. Houston police said she had been strangled; ABC13 reported that an electrical cord was used and that one of her arms had been cut. Some news reports spell her first name Yosheka.

Detectives learned early on that witnesses had seen a man near the apartment around the time she was found, and that Jarmon's car had been taken. It was recovered a few days later close to a place where her boyfriend, Zachary Harper, had been staying. Investigators also believed there was a history of family violence between the two. Earlier fingerprint results were inconclusive, ABC13 reported, and no charge was filed. The case passed to the Houston Police Department's Homicide Cold Case Unit.

Harper was later charged with murder in an unrelated case, the shooting death of Armin Mirazimi, 26, at 1809 Saint Elmo Street in Houston on September 10, 2023. ABC13 reported that his arrest in that case led detectives to take another look at Jarmon's death and to complete additional evidence testing. After consulting the Harris County District Attorney's Office, police announced on November 4, 2026, that Harper, 47, had been charged with murder in Jarmon's killing in the 338th Criminal District Court.

Harper was already being held without bond in the Harris County Jail when the new charge was filed. He has not been tried in either case and is presumed innocent unless convicted. Terance Jarmon told ABC13 he had suspected Harper since 2007 because of his behavior after the killing.