HOUSTON – The man accused of stabbing 11-year-old Josue Flores 20 times as he walked home from school wept as he stood before Judge Jim Wallace on Monday.
Andre Jackson, 27, a discharged U.S. Marine, stood before a judge at 9 a.m. after being arrested Friday in connection to Josue's death.
The judge read the charge against him then a prosecutor read the evidence, she said, investigators have collected. She said Flores was stabbed at least 20 times. Jackson was surrounded by the Harris County Sheriff's special response team. Jackson was in handcuffs. His visit to the courtroom was brief.
Prosecution: #JosueFlores stabbed 20 times.
— Brandon Walker (@KPRC2Brandon) June 6, 2016
"At the 1900 block of Fulton, the victim was attacked and stabbed approximately 20 times. Numerous witnesses provided officers with a description of the suspect which included clothing worn by the suspect. And one witness chased the suspect along the path. He ran and lost him at a certain point," prosecutor Sunni Mitchell. "On June 2, additional surveillance was obtained which allowed officers to identify the defendant through a credit card transaction conducted at a location on the day of the homicide, prior to the homicide."
After the prosecutor read the evidence against an obviously emotional Jackson, the judge found probable cause to move forward with the charges against Jackson.
As Jackson appeared in court, family and friends of Flores wept. For many, this was their first time to see the accused killer. After court, some said he should never get out of jail. His bond was set at $100,000.
Sonia Parker said, "Just to know that he done this to this child is heartbreaking. Just heartbreaking. The community's heartbroken. We set there and want to know why. Why would he do that? Stabbed him 20 times. Why?"
Friend of the family, Beatrice Salazar said, “I want him to be in jail. I don't want no death penalty. I don't want nothing like that. I want him to be in jail. Sit there and think about everything he did.”
Police sifted through surveillance video from five locations before finding a person matching the description of the suspect as well as the clothing described by the witnesses as worn by the suspect.
Prosecutors have said Jackson admitted to being in the neighborhood at the time of the crime.
Large crowd leaving Andre Jackson court hearing. He faced a judge today in the stabbing death of #JosueFlores @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/4o3GrC43KW
— Brandon Walker (@KPRCBrandon) June 6, 2016
"The defendant was then arrested and admitted that he is the person on the surveillance cameras and admitted that he was on the scene and ran from the scene," Mitchell said.
On what appears to be Jackson's Facebook page, he talks about having post-traumatic stress disorder and intense depression.
“Feeling lousy,” he posted on March 7, 2014.
March for #JosueFlores began with a prayer. It started where Josue was killed. It concludes at criminal court @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/jhAPN7wEqf
— Brandon Walker (@KPRC2Brandon) June 6, 2016
Marchers arriving at Fulton and James, handing out t-shirts that read Justice for Josue. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/r3VK8o6oir
— Brandon Walker (@KPRC2Brandon) June 6, 2016
On Feb. 10 he wrote, “Worst life ever.”
“I think the devil has taken my life because it’s been completely destroyed,” Jackson posted on April 12, 2014.
Family, friends, and members of the community took part in a silent march Monday that started at the crime scene and ended at the courthouse ahead of Jackson's appearance.
Josue’s sister, Guadalupe Flores, said, “We want him to hear his voice one last time. We are speaking for Josue now. And we hope to see justice.”