HOUSTON – The man found responsible for a road rage shooting that killed David Xavier Castro, an innocent 17-year-old, following an Astros game in 2021 has learned his fate. Gerald W. Williams, 35, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison.
The plea means the victim’s family members will not have to testify in a trial.
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“It’s been 18 months and two weeks,” Paul Castro, the victim’s father, said outside the courtroom after the plea. “This is the first time I’ve felt a little bit of peace.”
Castro thanked Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, the Houston Police Department, Crime Stoppers of Houston and Assistant District Attorneys Alycia Harvey and Maroun Koutani, who handled the case, for ensuring that Williams was brought to justice.
“The family is fully behind the plea agreement that happened today,” Castro said. “We’re thankful that it happened to be able to avoid having to come up and relive the whole thing all over again. We definitely did not want to have to bring my other son to possibly come to the witness stand.”
Harvey, the prosecutor, said this agreement is a just result.
“This incident could have happened to anybody—it was a shooting over nothing,” Harvey said. “What should have been a fun day at the ballpark is now this family’s nightmare.”
Deadly chain of events
Castro described the scary chain of events that led to his son’s death.
He and his two sons were riding home from an Astros game on July 6, 2021 when Williams, who was driving a white Buick, became angry.
“He [Williams] gets out of the car and he starts yelling at me, and he’s like, stepping out of the car, and he’s yelling at me and he’s saying, ‘Let my car in,’” Paul said. “I said, ‘Hey man, I’ve let three cars in already.’”
Castro said he eventually let the driver in front of him, but that did not end things.
“So, he got in. I didn’t flash my lights. I didn’t flip him off. I let him in, and he was in front of me,” he explained. “When I explained that to HPD, I explained that we exchanged hand gestures, his hand gesture was different from mine, mine was just ... I’ve let people in.”
Castro said they were headed home when they noticed the Buick following behind them.
“My son David was a little nervous. He said, ‘There’s that guy.’ I said, ‘I know.’ And I said, ‘We are going to go a different direction,’” the father said. “I went as fast as I could, and I started merging through traffic.”
He did as best as he could to get away from the Buick driver, but a short time later, he heard glass breaking.
“I heard ‘pop, pop,’ and then I thought he missed,” Castro told KPRC 2 after the shooting. “I turn around and I see Luke and I said, ‘You’re ok, Luke?’ He was in the back seat, and then I realized my other son had been hit.”
Tragedy leads to the gift of life
David, who was shot in the head, was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he remained on life support for several days. When doctors advised nothing more could be done, the family decided to donate his organs.
“We are thankful to share that David successfully donated six organs,” his grieving father wrote. “The surgical teams were skillful with their work. Three people received his organs across Texas and the US, including his 💙. We thank you for your prayers, as do the families of the recipients, whomever they may be.”
David loved to wear Hawaiian shirts so friends and family attending his funeral were asked to wear them in his honor.
Suspect’s arrest
The suspect remained on the run for several weeks as sketches were released the public and rewards were offered to help track him down. The community rallied together to help lead investigators to Williams’ identity.
“More tips than we’ve seen in a long time. Crime Stoppers really helped out. Everyone came together and sent us a lot of information on this case,” said HPD Detective Justin Brown.
Williams was charged with murder on July 30, 2021. Investigators said, in addition to the tips, his cell phone records were a key piece of evidence to pinpoint his travel history.
The shooting death made headlines for nearly a month. Williams eventually turned himself in peacefully, with the help of community activist Quanell X. His initial bond was set at $350,000, which was later revoked.
ARRESTED & CHARGED: Gerald Wayne Williams is charged for his role in the July 6th murder of David Castro.#hounews https://t.co/74W22B724k pic.twitter.com/TMKEp0wQT9
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 3, 2021
Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a statement after Williams’ arrest commending HPD and the community for collaborating and producing an arrest.
“I thank Police Chief Finner, HPD investigators, and the community for the collaboration that led to the surrender and arrest of the suspect. The constant flow of eyewitness tips, information about the vehicle, and the suspect’s description kept this crime front and center for several weeks,” Turner said. “This case is a tragic reminder that guns, road rage, and reckless behavior have deadly consequences. The shooting was senseless and indefensible, and we must work together to ensure that an incident like this never happens again in our City.”
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