Man Accused of Murdering a Texas Pastor and Gospel Musician to be Arraigned

Daniel Travis Durham, 30, is charged with murdering Texas pastor and gospel musician Dr. Donald Frazier in his home on July 4th. He will be arraigned on July 31st in 178th District Court.

Dr. Frazier was a renowned minister, counselor, writer, and Gospel music musician. He regularly contributed to AbsolutelyGospel.com's "Gospel Nuggets" section.

According to Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies, Durham broke into Dr. Frazier's home in the early morning hours. Frazier and his wife Susan heard noises in their garage and Frazier armed himself and went to investigate. Durham had been trying to disarm the home security system and had triggered a gas generator instead, waking the Fraziers. On the patio outside of the garage, he encountered the intruder and after a brief struggle, the suspect shot Frazier with his own gun in the head, killing him.

Deputies found Durham walking just blocks from the murder scene. He had blood on his t-shirt, shorts and legs when he was discovered and matched the description that Frazier's wife had given first responders, according to HCSO. While being interviewed by HSCO deputies, he gave investigators a statement admitting to the shooting. He told them that the pastor was on the floor begging for his life when he pulled the trigger.

The investigation revealed that community security guards stopped Durham about an hour before the shooting. They let him go after he claimed his mom lived in the neighborhood and he was just going for a walk.

Arrested on July 4, 2014, Durham's first court appearance was on July 7th where the defense requested his arraignment be reset to a later date. Bond was set at $100,000 according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office's Public Records site.

Dr. Frazier was survived by his wife, Susan, two sons, Jeremy and Jason and their wives, Rebecca and Angela, two step-daughters, Tessa and Alecia Chadwick, seven grandchildren and a brother, Dr. Roy Frazier Jr. and his wife Linda.

Dr. Frazier's accomplishments:

• Served with The Trav’Lers Quartet, a professional Gospel quartet, from Greenville, SC as their manager and pianist for 3 years
• BMI writer since 1968 with 23 songs to his credit
• Recording artist with 7 singing and piano albums
• Traveled as an Evangelist, Singer, Musician and Seminar Teacher for over 20 years
• Chaplain, Colorado Wing, Civil Air Patrol
• Served four terms as South Carolina Assemblies of God District Presbyter (Board of Directors)
• Served on the Program Committee for South Carolina District Councils, the Credentials Committee, an Judiciary Committee, and as Chairman of an Financial Accountability Committee
• Instituted Hospital Chaplaincy Program for Columbia De Queen Hospital
• Elected Secretary/Treasurer of the Sevier County Arkansas Ministerial Association
• Appointed to the Christian Education Board of the Arkansas District Council
• Respected Marriage and Family Specialist with 14 seminars taught at Heritage USA, Fort Mill, SC
• Member of The American Association of Christian Counselors
• Former Adjunct Counselor and Chaplain at Colorado State Penitentiary
• Voted by the inmates as a Lifetime Honorary Member of their Progresser’s Club, the first non-prisoner to receive this distinction
• Served as Uniformed Police Officer and Chaplain for City of Blacksburg, VA and implemented their first Chaplaincy program
• Served as Counseling Consultant and Uniformed Police Chaplain for City of Easley, SC

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Southern Gospel