A British mother’s fight for justice continues after a UK coroner ruled that her 23-year-old daughter was unlawfully killed, despite American authorities declining to prosecute her father.
A British mother is demanding a fresh investigation into the fatal shooting of her 23-year-old daughter by her father in Texas, after police records raised questions about how American authorities handled the case. Jane Coates travelled to North Texas in September 2026 seeking answers over the death of Lucy Harrison, who was shot in the chest at her father’s home in Prosper on January 10, 2025. Her campaign follows a British coroner’s ruling that Lucy was unlawfully killed, despite a Texas grand jury declining to indict her father, Kris Harrison.
Lucy, a fashion buyer from Warrington, Cheshire, had travelled to the United States with her boyfriend, Sam Littler, to spend the holidays with her father and his family. She arrived in Texas on December 27, 2024, and was preparing to return to Britain when the shooting occurred. A first class honours graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, Lucy worked for fashion retailer Boohoo and had purchased a home with Littler. Her family described a young woman building a promising future before her life was suddenly cut short.
During an inquest at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in February 2026, Littler described a heated argument between Lucy and her father on the morning of the shooting. The disagreement concerned Donald Trump and developed into a discussion about sexual assault. Littler testified that Lucy asked Kris how he would feel if she were sexually assaulted. He allegedly responded that he would not be particularly upset because he had two other daughters. Lucy was deeply distressed and went upstairs. The inquest also heard that she had previously expressed concerns about her father’s firearm ownership, particularly because her younger sisters lived in the house. However, the argument has not been established as the motive for the shooting.
The fatal incident occurred shortly before 3 p.m., approximately 30 minutes before the couple were due to leave. According to Littler, Kris took Lucy by the hand and led her into his bedroom, where he kept a Glock 9mm handgun in a bedside cabinet. About 15 seconds later, Littler heard a gunshot. He rushed into the room and found Lucy lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to her chest. Emergency services were called, and she was taken to hospital, where she later died. Kris told investigators the firearm had discharged unexpectedly while he was showing it to his daughter, maintaining that he never intended to harm her.
Questions about his account intensified after details of a 40 page police incident report became public in September 2026. Responding officers recorded smelling alcohol on Harrison’s breath. He initially denied drinking before acknowledging that he had consumed wine. Surveillance footage also showed him purchasing two cartons of wine before the shooting. Yet the investigative records examined by journalists did not document a breathalyser test or blood sample to establish whether he was intoxicated. Harrison initially denied placing his finger on the trigger but later acknowledged that the way he picked up the gun might have caused it to discharge after a Texas Ranger explained how the weapon fired.
The available police records also did not document a reconstruction of the shooting to establish the bullet’s trajectory or questioning about Harrison’s relationship with Lucy. Her family said she had previously attended counselling to manage tensions in that relationship. Craig Miller, a former senior Dallas police official, said alcohol testing would have been important in assessing Harrison’s condition and ability to handle the firearm safely. Although missing documentation does not conclusively establish that every investigative procedure was omitted, these concerns have become central to the family’s campaign for a renewed examination of the case.
In June 2025, a Collin County grand jury declined to indict Harrison on a proposed charge of criminally negligent homicide, leaving him without criminal charges in connection with his daughter’s death. Under Texas law, the offence concerns causing another person’s death through a serious failure to recognise a substantial and unjustifiable risk. Grand jury proceedings are confidential, meaning the public cannot determine precisely what evidence was presented or how jurors reached their decision. Harrison continues to maintain that the shooting was accidental.
British authorities reached a markedly different conclusion. In February 2026, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish ruled that Lucy had been unlawfully killed, finding that her father’s conduct amounted to gross negligence manslaughter under English law. The coroner concluded that Harrison pointed the handgun towards Lucy’s chest and pulled the trigger without checking whether it was loaded. She considered his handling of the weapon reckless, particularly given his drinking, limited firearm experience and failure to recognise the danger. Although she accepted that Harrison did not know the gun contained ammunition, she rejected the suggestion that the shooting was simply an unavoidable accident. The ruling was a finding at an inquest, not a criminal conviction, and did not overturn the American grand jury’s decision.
The contrasting findings prompted Coates to intensify her campaign, known as For Luce. Both she and Littler lodged complaints with Prosper Police about the original investigation, while Coates sought support from British officials. Warrington South MP Sarah Hall urged the British government to press Texas authorities to reconsider the evidence. The campaign also received support from Charlotte Charles, whose son Harry Dunn died in a 2019 collision involving an American motorist in Northamptonshire. Their experiences have drawn attention to the difficulties families face when seeking accountability for deaths involving different legal jurisdictions.
In September 2026, Coates travelled to Texas with supporters and adviser Radd Seiger, who previously assisted Harry Dunn’s family. On September 28, they visited the Collin County District Attorney’s Office seeking meetings with District Attorney Greg Willis and Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye, but were informed that the officials were unavailable. Prosper Police also declined to meet the group. Seiger questioned the lack of documented alcohol testing and shooting reconstruction, while Coates insisted she wanted American authorities to review the evidence under their own legal standards rather than apply British law.
Prosper Police have defended their investigation, stating that officers worked alongside the Texas Rangers before referring the evidence to prosecutors and an independent grand jury. The department acknowledged receiving complaints from Coates and Littler but maintained that it would not reopen the case. The Collin County District Attorney’s Office similarly defended the review process. An attorney representing the Town of Prosper cited threatened civil litigation as a reason for declining a meeting, an explanation Coates disputed. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it had provided consular assistance and would consider improvements to the support available to bereaved families.
As of October 12, 2026, American authorities have announced neither a reopened investigation nor new criminal charges. Beyond seeking answers, Coates is working to preserve Lucy’s memory, including plans for a scholarship at Manchester Metropolitan University. She has described her daughter as intelligent, compassionate and full of humour, someone whose ambitions extended far beyond the tragedy that ended her life. For the family, the unresolved question is why evidence that led a British coroner to conclude Lucy was unlawfully killed has not resulted in criminal charges in Texas. Until that question is adequately addressed, Coates’s campaign for a fresh investigation continues.
