Mother of Warrington Woman Killed in Texas Heads to US to Seek Fresh Investigation

Key Points

• Jane Coates, mother of 23-year-old Lucy Harrison, travelled from Warrington to Texas to seek a reopening of the investigation into her daughter’s death.
• Lucy was shot in the chest at her father Kris Harrison’s home in Prosper, Texas, on 10 January 2025.
• Kris Harrison told police the Glock handgun discharged accidentally while he was showing it to his daughter.
• A Collin County grand jury declined to indict Harrison after the case was presented for possible criminally negligent homicide.
• A UK coroner later concluded in February 2026 that Lucy had been unlawfully killed on the grounds of gross negligence manslaughter.
• Jane Coates says the British coroner’s finding has not resulted in the investigation being reopened in Texas.
• Lawyer and campaign adviser Radd Seiger has criticised aspects of the original investigation, including the absence of alcohol testing and a bullet-trajectory examination.
• FOX 4 reported that police records showed Harrison acknowledged drinking wine before the shooting, but no breathalyser or blood test was recorded.
• Prosper Police Department says its investigation, conducted with assistance from the Texas Rangers, was thorough and complete and that it will not reopen the case.
• The Collin County District Attorney’s Office has said the investigation was presented to an independent grand jury, which decided that no criminal indictment was warranted.
• Jane and supporters of the “For Luce” campaign have sought meetings with Prosper police and the Collin County District Attorney’s Office but have so far been unable to secure them.
• The case has raised questions about how investigations involving British nationals killed overseas are handled and what assistance families can expect when legal systems in different countries reach different conclusions.

Edition Online (EO) October 1, 2026 – Jane Coates, the mother of Warrington woman Lucy Harrison, has travelled to Texas to press for a fresh investigation into her daughter’s death after a UK coroner concluded that Lucy was unlawfully killed, but she has so far been unable to secure meetings with senior local officials. Lucy, 23, was shot in the chest at her father Kris Harrison’s home in Prosper on January 10, 2025. Harrison maintained that his Glock handgun went off accidentally, while a Collin County grand jury later declined to indict him. The latest campaign has brought renewed attention to disagreements over the original investigation, with Coates and her legal adviser Radd Seiger questioning whether important evidence was adequately examined, while Prosper police and the Collin County District Attorney’s Office maintain that the investigation and prosecutorial process were properly completed.

Why has Jane Coates travelled to Texas to seek a new investigation?

As reported by ITV News Granada Correspondent Andy Bonner, Coates travelled to the United States to campaign for the investigation into Lucy’s death to be reopened. ITV reported on September 30 that Coates had arrived in Texas and attempted to engage directly with officials responsible for the case.

According to ITV News Granada, Coates went to the town hall but was told that the district attorney would not meet her. She said she had been informed that officials were unavailable and expressed frustration that she had not been able to establish an open dialogue with those responsible for decisions surrounding the investigation.

FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth had reported two days earlier that Coates and supporters of the “For Luce” campaign had travelled to North Texas with the intention of meeting the Collin County District Attorney’s Office and the Prosper Police Department.

FOX 4 reporters Amelia Jones and Carter Freemon reported that Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis and Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye were described as being “out on the field” when Coates attempted to meet them. Prosper Police also declined to meet the group.

Coates has said she intends to continue seeking answers and is prepared to travel wherever necessary to pursue the campaign concerning her daughter.

What happened to Lucy Harrison in Prosper?

Lucy Harrison, a 23-year-old woman from Warrington, Cheshire, was visiting her father in Prosper, Texas, when she was fatally shot on January 10, 2025.

ITV News reported that Lucy was shot through the chest at her father’s home. She had travelled to Texas with her boyfriend, Sam Littler, and was due to return to the United Kingdom.

Earlier reporting by ITV, The Guardian, The Independent and Sky News established that Harrison said the Glock handgun discharged accidentally while he was showing it to his daughter.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting were later examined during a UK coroner’s inquest.

The Guardian, in a February 2026 report by Robyn Vinter, said Lucy was a fashion buyer who lived in Warrington and had been staying with her father in Prosper. The newspaper reported that the Texas investigation did not lead to criminal charges after a Collin County grand jury considered the evidence.

The Independent, reporting by Eleanor Barlow, similarly stated that Harrison maintained the shooting was accidental and that the UK inquest subsequently reached a different conclusion concerning the lawfulness of Lucy’s death.

What did the Texas investigation conclude?

The initial Texas investigation examined whether criminally negligent homicide charges should be pursued.

FOX 4 reported that Prosper Police referred the case to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office for possible criminally negligent homicide charges, described by the station as the lowest felony homicide charge in Texas.

A Collin County grand jury subsequently declined to indict Harrison.

The District Attorney’s Office has defended the process.

In a statement given to FOX 4, the office said Lucy’s death had been investigated by Prosper Police with assistance from the Texas Rangers. It said neither agency found probable cause to make an arrest and that the investigative findings were submitted for presentation to a Collin County grand jury in June 2025.

According to the statement quoted by FOX 4, the grand jury considered the evidence and determined that no criminal indictment was warranted. The office also said Lucy’s loved ones had been kept informed during the process.

The Texas Department of Public Safety also told FOX 4 that the Texas Rangers had completed their investigation and submitted their findings to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office. The department said the case was “no billed” for criminally negligent homicide and that the Texas Rangers’ investigation was closed.

Why is Lucy’s mother challenging the original investigation?

Coates and her supporters have raised questions about whether the original investigation examined all potentially relevant evidence.

FOX 4 reported in September that it had reviewed a 40-page incident report and other police documents. The records showed that police smelled alcohol on Harrison’s breath. According to the report, he initially denied drinking but later acknowledged that he was an alcoholic and had consumed a carton of wine before the shooting.

FOX 4 said surveillance footage from a nearby shop showed Harrison purchasing two cartons of wine before the incident.

However, the records reviewed by the broadcaster did not show that Harrison underwent a breathalyser test or provided a blood sample following his admission that he had consumed alcohol.

The records also indicated that Harrison told investigators he had limited firearm experience. FOX 4 reported that he initially denied having his finger on the trigger, before later saying that the way he picked up the gun might have contributed to the discharge.

The documents reviewed by FOX 4 also did not show evidence of a crime-scene reconstruction to establish the bullet’s trajectory or angle.

These details have become central to the campaign for a fresh investigation.

What does Radd Seiger say about the investigation?

Jane Coates is being supported by lawyer and justice campaigner Radd Seiger.

As reported by ITV News Granada, Seiger argues that the original investigation failed to examine several factors that could potentially have been relevant to a prosecution.

He specifically highlighted the reported smell of alcohol on Harrison’s breath and the absence of a breathalyser examination. He also questioned why the trajectory of the bullet had not been examined.

FOX 4 also obtained comments from Craig Miller, a former Dallas Police Department deputy chief responsible for crimes against persons.

Miller told FOX 4 that alcohol testing would have been an important part of an investigation if officers believed alcohol had been involved, particularly because Harrison was the only person directly involved in the shooting. He said testing could have provided information about Harrison’s blood-alcohol level and his ability to understand and recall events.

The comments from Seiger and Miller represent criticisms of the investigation; they do not alter the fact that the Texas authorities have said the investigation was completed and that a grand jury declined to indict.

What did the UK coroner conclude about Lucy Harrison’s death?

A major development came in February 2026, when Cheshire Coroner’s Court examined the circumstances of Lucy’s death.

ITV News Granada reported that Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish concluded Lucy had been unlawfully killed on the grounds of gross negligence manslaughter under UK law. The coroner described the actions surrounding the shooting as reckless.

The Independent also reported that Devonish concluded Lucy’s death amounted to unlawful killing through gross negligence manslaughter. The newspaper said Harrison had maintained that the firearm discharged accidentally while he was showing it to Lucy.

Sky News reported that the coroner’s conclusion did not amount to a criminal conviction in the United States. The UK inquest and the Texas criminal investigation are separate legal processes operating under different jurisdictions.

That distinction is important to the current dispute. The UK coroner’s conclusion does not itself compel Texas authorities to bring criminal proceedings.

Why has the case remained disputed between the two jurisdictions?

The central issue is the difference between the conclusions reached by the two legal processes.

In Texas, the investigation resulted in the case being presented to a Collin County grand jury, which declined to indict Harrison.

In Britain, the coroner’s inquest later concluded that Lucy had been unlawfully killed as a result of gross negligence manslaughter.

Neither development automatically overturns the other.

The Texas authorities have maintained that their investigative and prosecutorial processes were completed. Meanwhile, Coates argues that the British finding should prompt Texas officials to reconsider the evidence and the way the original investigation was conducted.

FOX 4 reported that former Collin County prosecutor Jeremy Rosenthal explained that evidence presented to a grand jury is generally sealed. He said it was therefore not possible to know publicly everything the prosecution presented to the grand jury.

This leaves an important evidential question unresolved in public: the precise material considered by the grand jury is not available for independent public review.

What has Prosper Police said about reopening the case?

Prosper Police has rejected the suggestion that its investigation was incomplete.

In a statement reported by FOX 4, the department said it had conducted a “thorough and complete investigation” with assistance from the Texas Rangers.

The department said the completed case was referred to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office and presented to an independent grand jury, which declined to proceed with criminal charges.

Prosper Police said that, because the investigative and prosecutorial processes had concluded and because of legal considerations, it would not reopen the investigation or host a meeting with Coates.

The department also expressed sympathy for Lucy’s family and acknowledged the loss suffered by her relatives.

FOX 4 reported that the station had not received comment from Kris Harrison, his wife or his attorneys in the United States and Britain. The Collin County District Attorney’s Office also declined to comment on the record for that particular report.

What happened when Jane Coates tried to meet officials?

The latest attempts to obtain meetings have produced no direct meeting with the senior officials Coates hoped to see.

FOX 4 reported that Coates had previously met Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye following Lucy’s death, before the UK coroner issued the unlawful-killing conclusion.

Coates told FOX 4 that she regarded the later coroner’s finding as significant and believed it strengthened her request for officials to reconsider the case.

The latest trip involved several supporters of the “For Luce” campaign.

FOX 4 reported that Coates and supporters planned to remain in Texas through the end of the week and continue trying to speak to representatives of the Prosper Police Department and Collin County District Attorney’s Office.

The broadcaster also reported that complaints made by Coates and Lucy’s boyfriend, Sam Littler, concerning the handling of the investigation had been received by Prosper Police.

The complaints were forwarded to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office because, according to the report, the letters did not constitute an officer complaint.

What wider support has the campaign received?

The campaign has attracted support in both Britain and Texas.

ITV News reported that Coates had received support from local people during her latest visit to the United States.

The campaign has also received attention from political representatives in the UK. FOX 4 reported that Sarah Hall, the MP for Warrington, had called for the British Government to use appropriate channels to press Texas authorities to reconsider the case.

Coates has also sought to ensure that Lucy’s legacy is not defined solely by the circumstances of her death.

FOX 4 reported that she has been working with Manchester Metropolitan University, where Lucy studied, on the establishment of a scholarship in her daughter’s name.

That initiative forms part of the wider “For Luce” campaign, which has also raised questions about the support available to British families when relatives die overseas.

What is the current position of the case?

As of October 1, 2026, the publicly reported positions of the main parties remain different.

Jane Coates is seeking a fresh investigation and believes the UK coroner’s conclusion, together with questions surrounding the original evidence-gathering process, warrants renewed scrutiny.

Radd Seiger supports that position and has questioned whether the original investigation was sufficiently comprehensive.

Prosper Police maintains that its investigation, conducted with Texas Rangers, was thorough and complete and says it will not reopen the case.

The Collin County District Attorney’s Office has said the case was investigated and presented to a grand jury, which decided that no criminal indictment was warranted.

The Texas Department of Public Safety has said the Texas Rangers’ investigation is closed.

There has been no reported criminal indictment against Kris Harrison arising from Lucy’s death.

What is the background to the Lucy Harrison investigation?

Lucy Harrison was killed at her father’s home in Prosper on January 10, 2025, while visiting Texas.

Her father told police the Glock firearm discharged accidentally while he was showing it to her. The incident was subsequently investigated by Prosper Police with assistance from the Texas Rangers.

The case was presented to a Collin County grand jury after investigators referred it for possible criminally negligent homicide. The grand jury declined to indict.

The circumstances were later examined in Britain during an inquest at Cheshire Coroner’s Court. In February 2026, Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish concluded that Lucy had been unlawfully killed on the grounds of gross negligence manslaughter.

The differing conclusions became the basis for the family’s renewed campaign.

Earlier media coverage has included ITV News Granada, The Guardian, The Independent and Sky News, with the February inquest providing further detail about the circumstances surrounding Lucy’s death.

The more recent September reporting by FOX 4 added details from police records concerning alcohol, firearm experience and the absence of documented crime-scene reconstruction. Those records have become part of the family’s argument for renewed scrutiny, while Prosper Police continues to defend its original investigation.

How could the latest campaign affect British families seeking answers after deaths overseas?

The immediate effect of Coates’s campaign is likely to be measured by whether Texas authorities agree to reconsider any part of the investigation, rather than by the campaign itself creating a new criminal case.

The UK coroner’s conclusion provides a separate legal finding that the family can point to when asking US authorities to review the circumstances, but it does not automatically require Texas prosecutors or police to reopen a completed investigation.

The case could nevertheless remain relevant to other British families dealing with deaths abroad because it illustrates the practical difficulties that can arise when evidence is examined under different legal systems. A UK inquest can reach findings concerning a British citizen’s death, while criminal charging decisions remain within the jurisdiction where the death occurred.

The campaign has also placed attention on the importance of evidence collection at the earliest stage of an overseas death investigation. Questions about alcohol testing, firearm handling, bullet trajectory and crime-scene reconstruction have become central to the family’s concerns, while Texas authorities maintain that the investigation was properly completed.

For now, the central unresolved issue is whether any Texas authority will undertake further review of the evidence despite the previous grand jury decision and the stated position of Prosper Police and the Texas Rangers. The answer will determine whether Coates’s latest campaign leads to any formal reconsideration of Lucy Harrison’s case.