A young Nepali student, Muna Pandey (21), who was tragically found dead in Houston, Texas, was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds. She was raised by her single mother, Anita Pandey Adhikari. Muna had come to the United States in 2021 to pursue her graduate studies.
Anita Adhikari, who faced significant challenges raising her daughter alone after being rejected by her husband, worked tirelessly to provide for Muna. Despite the hardships, Anita managed to send her daughter to the United States to pursue her dreams.
In Houston, Muna initially lived with a friend from Nepal before moving into her own apartment. Family sources revealed that Muna was in a relationship with a white American man. While she shared photos and videos of their outings with her mother, Muna also expressed concerns about the relationship’s stability.
Devastated by her daughter’s untimely death, Anita has appealed to authorities to investigate the murder and bring the perpetrator to justice. She has also requested the support of the Nepali community in the United States in her quest for justice. Muna’s friends and members of the Nepali community in the USA are also calling for justice.
“We demand justice for Muna Pandey, my dear friend and former roommate, who was tragically taken from us. She was shot in her own home in Houston, TX, and the pain of losing her in such a violent way is unbearable. We will not rest until those responsible for this senseless act are brought to justice… Muna deserves to be remembered for the incredible person she was, and we will continue to fight for the justice she deserves,” Muna’s former roommate Orusha Niraula posted on Facebook.
“Muna was like a sister to me—full of life, kindness, and joy. Her bubbly personality and infectious laughter made every moment brighter. It’s heartbreaking that someone so wonderful was taken from us so cruelly. As we grieve this immense loss, my thoughts are with her family, especially her mother,” Orusha shared in her tribute.
Muna’s mobile phone had been unreachable for 3 days. While this was not unusual, as Pandey would occasionally go offline for extended periods, her mother feared the worst when she did not hear from her daughter. Muna was discovered dead in her Houston apartment on Monday evening. Authorities responded to a call and found her with a fatal gunshot wound to the chest at 5:35 PM, according to information provided by the Houston police to NepYork.
The incident occurred on West Airport Boulevard, where police discovered Pandey’s body. As of now, no suspects have been identified, and the investigation is ongoing. The police confirmed that the body, which bore multiple gunshot wounds, has been sent for autopsy, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case.
“HPD patrol officers responded to a ‘person down’ call and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds inside an apartment. Paramedics pronounced her deceased at the scene. The apartment complex staff told officers that prior to calling 911, they received an anonymous call about a body inside the apartment. At this time, there is no known motive or suspect(s),” HPD Homicide Division Detectives M. Providence and A. Herrera reported, according to a press release.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or to speak anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Originally from Bhojpur, Nepal, Muna had been studying at Houston Community College. According to Drona Gautam, the first vice president of the Nepali Association of Houston, Muna came to the United States in 2021 for her studies. Her mother, who resides in Kathmandu, has been notified of the tragic incident.
Muna was the only child in her family. Her phone had reportedly been switched off since Saturday, leading to suspicions that the incident may have occurred over the weekend. However, there is no concrete information about the exact time or circumstances surrounding her death. Police stated that no weapon was found at the scene, and they have yet to determine a motive.