Robert Kenneth Genho

ROBERT KENNETH GENHO, 53, and his wife Janet E Deppin, 33, were shot to death 01/08/82 inside their upscale Woodlands townhouse.

The couple lived at 25 Huntsman Horn Circle, on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, less than two years before the home invasion.

Robert was a land developer and an inventor, who moved to Texas from California several years prior to his murder. He invented and patented a self-leveling construction laser device,¹ and was a known pioneer in the use of laser in the construction industry.²

The couple are interred at Steuben Cemetery in Steuben, Ohio.³ He was survived by an adult son, Robert.

CRIME SCENE

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies responded to a silent alarm around 9:50pm on 01/08/82. The front door was found open and a pool of blood was on the patio.

Authorities theorize the couple were watching television when the doorbell rang. Robert answered the door and was shot once in the head and once in the back with a .38-caliber revolver. His body was found in the living room.⁴

“While being pursued, Janet Genho managed to press the panic alarm button near the master bedroom.”⁵ She was shot in the face, back and side with a .38-caliber revolver. Her body was found on the second story sunroof.

THEORIES & SUSPICIONS

Montgomery County authorities speculated the killings could have been prompted by debts.⁶ In 1982, an MCSO spokesman told media robbery had been ruled out as a motive, “the assailants were out after them.”²

Robert was scheduled to appear at a hearing 02/18/82 regarding a $1 million judgment won against him by his creditors, that somehow involved the laser patent. He allegedly owed money to entities in Texas, California, Georgia and Illinois.⁴

HAVE INFORMATION?

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is working to solve the Robert K. Genho case and bring his killer(s) to justice. If you have information about this crime, please call (281) 297-6508.

Submit corrections/updates here.

Sources:

1. US Patent 4333242 and 3897637, accessed 03/06/22. [↩]
2. Mansfield Ohio News-Journal: Willard native, husband killed in Houston, published 01/10/82. [↩][↩]
3. Find A Grave: Robert Genho, accessed 03/06/22. [↩]
4. United Press International (UPI): Slain man had recently lost $1 million judgement, published 01/12/82. [↩][↩]
5. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office: Cold Case #82-0455, accessed 03/06/22. [↩]
6. United Press International (UPI): Couple may have been killed over debts, published 01/09/82. [↩]