HOUSTON — The sisters of a Houston woman who was beaten to death the day before Thanksgiving fear her accused killer could get out of jail after a judge granted him bond despite his violent history.
Myron Strambler, 36, appeared in court Monday morning where a judge raised his bond from $250,000 to $300,000.
Strambler is charged with murder in the death of his estranged wife, 34-year-old Alicia Michele Strambler, days before her birthday. Police found her body inside a room at the Moonlight Inn Motel in north Houston on Nov. 27.
"He took her with his bare hands like a monster, he doesn’t need bond," the victim's sister Monique San Miguel said. “He walked in that courtroom with no remorse after what he did.”
Alicia's family explained that she tried to get away from Strambler many times and filed for divorce a week before her death.
"I have all the texts. He would not leave her alone, she tried and tried and tried, and he just wouldn’t let her go," the victim's sister Anna Gonzales told us. "She did not deserve this, her kids did not deserve this, they’re now without a mother.”
She added that Alicia was a devoted advocate for other abused women.
"She had a really big heart. She did anything and everything she could to help those who were going through what she was going through," Anna said.
The family tells KHOU 11 they believe the system failed Alicia and they are determined to see that she gets justice.
Court documents reveal Strambler’s violent criminal history, including a 2021 domestic violence case involving his wife. In 2022, Strambler was accused of violating a protection order, but that case was dismissed. In 2009, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in Brazoria County.
Now, Alicia's family is worried about what will happen if Strambler gets out of jail.
"There's no stopping him, if he gets out it will happen again, as it did before, that's why we're here today," Anna said.
Dozens of people attended a candlelight vigil to honor Alicia's memory over the weekend. Her friends and family created a GoFundMe account to help her three children.
Resources for victims of domestic or family violence
Domestic and family violence cases in the Houston area have increased at an alarming rate. Victims often suffer in silence because they feel scared, helpless or ashamed.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, here are some discreet ways to reach out for help.
The Houston Area Women’s Center has a 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic violence at 713-528-2121 or 1-800-256-0551.
The Family Time Crisis Center can also be reached 24 hours a day at 281-446-2615.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 88788.