Father Fatally Shot British Daughter While She Was Visiting Him - Details

An inquest has revealed new details about a young woman's final moments inside her father's Texas home. Courtroom evidence, legal clashes, and a grieving family now shape a case that has drawn intense public reaction.

A 23-year-old British woman was shot dead by her father while visiting him in the United States, an inquest has heard, as previously undisclosed details about her final moments were laid bare in a Warrington courtroom.

Lucy Harrison, from Warrington, had travelled to Texas with her boyfriend, Sam Littler, for a post-Christmas break. On January 10, 2025, the day she was due to return home, she was shot in the chest inside her father's detached property in Prosper.

At Cheshire Coroner's Court on February 10, 2026, it was confirmed that her father, Kris Harrison, fired the fatal shot.

The Final Morning

Lucy and Sam had arrived in Texas on December 28, 2024, flying from Heathrow Airport. The couple, who had bought their first home together nine months earlier, had spent Christmas hosting family before travelling to see Kris.

On the morning of January 10, their suitcases were already packed and placed in the garage area. They were due to leave for the airport within the hour. Giving evidence, Sam said of the quiet but emotionally charged start to the day:

"She [Lucy] was looking forward to seeing her mum and coming home. I was sat on the couch with the girls and Heather was at the breakfast table."

Sam said Kris then took Lucy by the hand and led her into the master bedroom, around 10 to 15 steps from where the family had been sitting. "The only thing I heard was a loud bang 15 seconds after he took her by the hand," he told the court.

According to medical evidence, Lucy was shot in the chest from medium range. Five witnesses were inside the house when emergency services were called. Toxicology results confirmed she had no alcohol or drugs in her system.

The Gun and the Account Given

In a statement read to the court, Kris said that before going into the bedroom, he and Lucy had been watching a news segment about gun crime in the United States and discussing it.

He said he told her he owned a firearm and asked whether she wanted to see it. When she allegedly agreed, they made their way to the bedroom and that is where he retrieved a nine-millimetre Glock from a bedside cabinet beneath a stack of books.

However, as he lifted the weapon, it discharged. Police evidence presented at the inquest stated that Kris could not recall whether his finger had been on the trigger.

In that jurisdiction, a grand jury of 12 people privately reviews evidence to determine whether there is probable cause to believe a felony has been committed.

He said he had never received formal training and had never fired the gun before, having purchased it from a colleague. Later, it emerged that Kris had consumed 500 millilitres of vintage chardonnay on the day of the shooting without his family's knowledge.

While he accepted that he had been drinking, he maintained he was not under the influence. However, the coroner told the court that when she first reviewed the police statement, Kris had lied about drinking and had not admitted to being an alcoholic.

Furthermore, evidence from Lucy's friend, Ella Gowng, stated that the former had previously confided that her father had suffered an alcoholic seizure in 2023, had been placed in an induced coma, and later entered rehabilitation. Ella said Lucy had told her he relapsed in March 2024, months before the trip.

No Criminal Charges

Despite the circumstances of Lucy's death, no prosecution followed in the United States. A grand jury in Texas decided in June 2025 that criminal proceedings would not move forward.

In that jurisdiction, a grand jury of 12 people privately reviews evidence to determine whether there is probable cause to believe a felony has been committed. If it declines to proceed, the case does not advance to trial.

Legal Dispute in Warrington

Elsewhere, proceedings in Warrington were marked by a legal challenge from Kris's counsel, Ana Samuel, who applied for Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish to recuse herself.

Ana argued that there was a perception the inquest had been conducted more like a criminal investigation than a fact-finding exercise. She questioned whether the likely conclusion would be unlawful killing and raised concerns about disclosure.

Lois Norris, representing Lucy's mother, Jane Coates, opposed the application. She told the court that Kris had been given 113 days to raise objections after being asked to provide a witness statement. She shared:

"When an interested person requests disclosure, it should be provided as soon as reasonably possible. That was provided as soon as reasonably practical. This is simply an ambush by Mr Harrison's legal team on the morning of what is already an incredibly traumatic day."

Meanwhile, Jacqueline refused to stand down. She told the court she had no connection to any of the parties and saw no basis for withdrawal. She added that Kris had lost his opportunity to provide evidence in a timely manner and that disclosure procedures had been properly followed.

A Mother's Tribute

Outside the legal arguments, the inquest also heard from Jane, who spoke publicly about her daughter's character and the night she learned of her death. "It's so hard to capture who she was, and who she still is, using words because they just don't come close," she said.

"She was full of energy and life, and she was bold and brave. She was so emotionally intelligent. She was able to feel everything and she wasn't ashamed of feeling everything," she added. Jane also described being woken in the middle of the night by Sam's mother, Helen.

Kris said he fully accepted the consequences of his actions and would carry the weight of what happened for the rest of his life.

"I think, normally, you'd expect if someone is knocking on your door in the middle of the night, you know something bad has happened. But it just didn't even process with me," the grieving mother revealed.

"I thought it was something to do with Lucy and Sam's house but then Helen said she [Lucy] had been shot and she's not made it. That just doesn't process. I just ran up the stairs and into my bedroom," she added.

Kris's Statement and Public Reaction

While Kris did not attend the inquest, in a statement released during the first day of proceedings, he said Lucy was the light of his life and that watching her grow into the woman she became had been the greatest privilege.

He went on to reveal that Lucy adored her younger sisters and that the family home felt incomplete without her presence. Referring to a letter she wrote during her final visit, he said she had described Texas as her home.

The US-based father added that losing Lucy had "shattered all of us" and that he had lost his best friend. Kris said he fully accepted the consequences of his actions and would carry the weight of what happened for the rest of his life. He further remarked:

"I cannot undo what happened, but I can honour Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy."

His remarks drew sharp criticism online, as one person wrote, "Best Father to her sisters? He should have thought of that before he destroyed their lives? As if they'll want anything to do with him? Monster [sic]."

One person commented, "Wait is the father a delulu or something? Yes he cant undo his actions but why was he shooting his own child, and honouring her memory???? By being the best father to her siblings?? What am I even reading [sic]."

Another typed, "Oh go away.. He knew what he was doing the mum needs to get those kids away. I'd be petrified if I was the sibling. It's getting ridiculous [sic]." A fourth person added, "His statement sounds quite cold."

Someone else shared, "Sometimes when i read something like this I feel like I am on a different planet This is just so unbelievable Fly high Lucy Hope your sisters get away from your father… he was supposed to be the man that protected you not the one that took your life [sic]."

As proceedings continue at Cheshire Coroner's Court, the inquest is expected to determine the precise circumstances surrounding Lucy's death and how she and Kris came to be alone with the firearm that morning.

For her family, however, the legal outcome will unfold against the backdrop of an irreversible loss — one that has already reshaped lives on both sides of the Atlantic.