HOUSTON – A Houston-area man who is a documented gang member was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Tuesday for the 2016 murder of his childhood friend, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said.
Marcus Renard Coleman, 30, was convicted of killing 24-year-old Adoniya Spiller after a five-day trial.
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According to the DA’s Office, Coleman was part of the “5th Ward Circle” gang.
The DA’s Office said Coleman, who was 24 at the time of the murder, believed he had a previous domestic violence warrant. As a result, he sought refuge at Spiller’s apartment with his newborn daughter.
Later, Spiller and Coleman were involved in an argument over “a small amount of marijuana” in the breezeway near Spiller’s apartment, the DA’s office said. His 2-year-old daughter was standing next to her father, and he was holding Coleman’s newborn daughter in a baby carrier.
A witness who testified in the trial said Coleman told Spiller to “put the baby down” before he pulled out a gun and shot him in the neck and abdomen, according to the DA’s office. Spiller died in the hospital the following day.
The children were not hurt.
The DA’s Office said Coleman was out on bond for the charge of a felon in possession of a firearm. He jumped bail and fled to Louisiana before authorities arrested him.
After he was extradited from Louisiana, Coleman went free on bond but did not appear in court several times. He was later rearrested for domestic violence, posted bond, and was charged again for another domestic violence case.
Coleman was arrested once more and charged with a new felony -- this time for possession of cocaine. At that point, he was held in jail in lieu of a total of $750,000 bond.
“This case, like many others, lingered on the docket because every time the defendant was free on bond, he was charged with a new crime, which postponed trial,” Harris County DA Kim Ogg said. “Now, he will spend decades behind bars, and the victim’s family will have some closure and be able to mourn in peace.”
Ogg said he is expected to serve at least half of the sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.