Here are things to know for Tuesday, June 15:
1. 2 men accused in deadly car-sale meetup in Humble turn themselves in, deputies say
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Two men are in custody after being accused of killing a man during a car-sale meetup in Humble Sunday, Harris County sheriff’s deputies said.
Brandon Harris and Ahsim Taylor turned themselves in Monday, according to Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said Taylor has been charged with capital murder and Harris was charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
Deputies said they were dispatched to the 15100 block of Winter Dawn Way in reference to a shooting around 2:15 p.m. When they arrived at the scene, deputies said they found the victim, Kelvin Shepherd, dead from gunshot wounds.
Investigators said Shepherd, along with a friend, had come to the location to look at a vehicle that was for sale. Shepherd parked his vehicle in front of what was later determined to be one of the suspect’s homes, deputies said. Investigators said Harris and Taylor entered Shepherd’s vehicle and got into the back seat. During negotiations for the car, deputies said the two suspects attempted to rob Shepherd and his friend. Investigators said during the course of the robbery, Shepherd was shot and killed, collapsing on a nearby home’s front porch.
2. Bond set at $1 million for suspect accused of dragging man by a truck, then burning the vehicle in Liberty County
A $1 million bond was set for a man accused of dragging another man by a truck and then burning the vehicle in Liberty County, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Robert Eugene Hoffpauir, 37, was arrested Sunday and charged with murder for the death of 60-year-old Roman Rodriguez, of Rye, Texas.
Investigators said Rodriguez arrived at Hoffpauir’s mother’s home and a fight broke out between the men due to a former relationship between Rodriguez and Hoffpauir’s mother. Investigators said during the fight, Hoffpauir severely beat Rodriguez and then tied a tow strap around his waist.
Hoffpauir allegedly then tied the other end of the tow strap to a pick-up truck that belonged to Rodriguez and then used the truck to drag him from the home for a lengthy distance down the road.
3. Teen accused of killing another teen at high school graduation party out on bond
The family of a teenager killed at a high school graduation party is calling for justice after the suspected gunman was released from jail on bond.
According to court documents, police arrested 18-year-old Omari Sykes for the June 5 killing of 17-year-old Nashibo Taylor, Jr., a student at Cypress Ridge High School.
Taylor was shot and killed in the hallway of the Doubletree Hotel on Greenway Plaza. At the time of the shooting, Sykes was out on bond for an April 2021 charge of evading arrest. Court documents reveal after the shooting, Sykes left the hotel and was later arrested on June 7.
According to court records, Sykes posted a $100,000 bond last week. In an email written to KPRC 2, a representative for Taylor’s family said they want his bond revoked.
4. ERCOT asks Texans to reduce electricity use after issuing conservation alert
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages more than 26 million Texas customers’ electric power, issued a conservation alert Monday afternoon.
As temperatures rise during the summer heat, ERCOT is asking Texans to voluntarily conserve and reduce their electric use from Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 18. The conservation alert is due to a significant number of forced generation outages combined with potential record electric use for the month of June which has resulted in tight grid conditions, according to ERCOT.
“We will be conducting a thorough analysis with generation owners to determine why so many units are out of service,” said ERCOT Vice President of Grid Planning and Operations Woody Rickerson. “This is unusual for this early in the summer season.”
According to generation owners, the number of outages should decrease throughout the week, ERCOT reports.
5. East End residents frustrated over stopped trains, traffic
For residents of Houston’s East End, dealing with trains is a way of life.
But many said over the last several months, slow-moving trains have become trains parked on tracks, blocking traffic throughout the area for hours at a time.
Residents said often times there are multiple trains parked on tracks all around the area, leaving them boxed in and creating concerns about access for emergency vehicles.
“These are really dangerous times,” said resident Alex Luster, who recently recorded a cell phone video showing two men slide their bikes and then their bodies under an idle train. “I’ve come to work and try to go home for lunch, and four hours later it’s still parked there.”