A well-known Houston restaurant is closing its doors nearly three months after the deaths of its owners, a closure now entangled with a wrongful death lawsuit over how the tragedy unfolded. Traveler's Cart will shut its Montrose location on Friday, July 31, giving the community one last chance to eat there before the popular spot goes dark.
The closure follows a devastating episode earlier this year. Houston police say Matthew Mitchell fatally shot his wife and the couple's two children before taking his own life on May 4, in a case that stunned the city and drew live coverage near the family's home in the River Oaks area. The deaths left the future of the couple's restaurant ventures in question.
Traveler's Cart, located at 1401 Montrose Boulevard, is the location set to close, while a related restaurant, Traveler's Table, will remain open. The owners had a significant presence in Houston's food scene and had appeared regularly in restaurant segments on FOX 26 and other channels, making the loss keenly felt in the local dining community.
The company says it is working to soften the blow for its workers, helping Traveler's Cart employees find new jobs, with some expected to transition to Traveler's Table. For staff, the closure has brought uncertainty in the wake of an already wrenching few months, coming as the city gears up for the busy Houston Restaurant Weeks in which the owners had been heavily involved.
The shutdown coincides with a legal fight over the couple's estate. His wife's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Matthew Mitchell's estate, alleging that he planned the killings. The suit turns the private tragedy into a courtroom dispute between the two families left behind, one that centers on money as much as grief.
According to the lawsuit, Mitchell transferred more than $1 million into accounts connected to his mother's name before the deaths. The family is asking the court to stop any additional transfers of the estate's assets and to appoint an independent executor to oversee it, seeking to preserve what remains as the allegations are litigated.
The case has left the husband's and wife's families on opposing sides, with one family suing the other over the estate. Adding to the painful details, an initial report had suggested Mitchell's wife was pregnant at the time, but the family later came forward to say she was not. As the restaurant prepares to serve its final customers on Friday, the legal battle over the estate is only beginning.