Police: Roommate stabbed artist, then killed himself

More on the death of Robin Utterback, the Houston artist who died after his Montrose home/studio burned Thursday: Police now say Utterback's roommate stabbed him, set the fire and then threw himself in front of a train. Firefighters responding to reports of the fire at the studio, 2311 Grant St., on Thursday evening found Utterback inside; a few hours later, police found Clifford David Gaylord, the roommate, seriously injured near the train tracks at 100 Heights Blvd. The two died within minutes of each other.

A man who lives near Utterback's studio said he saw smoke and flames coming from the studio around 6:25 p.m. Thursday, about the time he saw Gaylord leave the building for the last time. "He just stood there in limbo. I saw flames coming while the window broke. Then I see smoke coming out the seams of the building," the neighbor told KPRC. When Gaylord was found later, authorities say he was carrying a letter that described his role in Utterback's death. None of it surprised photographer Ron Scott, who lived next door to Utterback: "Their personalities couldn't be more different. Robin was kind and sweet and Cliff was confrontational," Scott told the Chronicle. It's not clear what made Gaylord stab Utterback, but KHOU reports that police believe the attack came after the two had an argument.

Utterback, 57, graduated from Rice in 1974 and was known in the contemporary art world for his abstract paintings and drawings. His work is displayed at museums and galleries around the world, including the Menil Collection and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.