ATASCOCITA, Texas – A man accused of shooting his boyfriend in the head Sunday night in Atascocita has been charged with murder after turning himself in to police, Harris County deputies said.
Mario Jerrell Williams, 29, is accused of shooting Devon Wade, 28, at a home in the 17000 block of Crestline Road.
In probable cause court on Monday night, prosecutors said Williams and Wade got into an argument earlier on Sunday. A witness reported to police that Williams came into the bedroom seemingly upset. The witness said Williams wanted to talk to Wade but Wade asked him several times to leave and he did.
Prosecutors said the witness told police that Williams returned to the home, and again Wade asked him to leave and escorted him from a bedroom to the first floor of the home. The witness said he heard two gunshots and ran downstairs to see Wade's twin brother, Stephen, over him asking for someone to call 911, prosecutors said.
Other witnesses gave similar stories, one of them reported seeing Williams with his arm extended and then hearing gunshots before Williams ran out the back door, prosecutors said.
Stephen Wade told police that he was awakened by the sound of gunshots and went downstairs but didn't see anyone, just his brother on the floor bleeding.
He said he looked at his security camera system and saw a man who looked like Williams.
READ: Devon Wade's Life & Legacy
Police said Williams turned himself in on Monday, admitting that he "shot someone."
Williams told police that he went to Wade's house to get some items, including a handgun that was in Wade's room. He said he was trying to leave, but Wade wouldn't let him, according to prosecutors. Williams told police that Wade punched him and chased him downstairs, prosecutors said. Williams said Wade locked the front door but he was able to get the door and Wade lunged at him. Williams told police that is when he shot Wade, according to prosecutors.
Williams is being held in Harris County jail on $100,000 bond.
He is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday.
Wade attended M.B. Smiley High School in Northeast Houston. Both his parents were in prison. His future did not look bright. But with the support of his grandparents and a school club for children with incarcerated parents called No More Victims, Wade defied the odds.
He graduated with honors from Louisiana State University. He became a Harry Truman scholar. When he met KPRC 2 anchor Domonique Sachse in April 2017, Wade was a doctoral student studying sociology at Columbia University.
“I’m incredibly humbled to be able to come back and give back,” Wade told Sachse.
Wade returned to Houston to finish his dissertation on the effects of poverty and incarceration on communities of color.
“That’s what we want to do is to empower these young kids to let them know that they can be what they want to be and they don’t have to be ashamed of their lives,” Wade said.