HOUSTON – A Houston man has been sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old in 2017.
Horace Harris, 24, was facing life in prison without parole if convicted of capital murder in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Melton McGee on Oct. 23, 2017. Instead of going to trial on capital murder, Harris pleaded guilty to murder, which means he cannot appeal the conviction or his life sentence.
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“This was a premeditated ambush that cost the life of a promising young man,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “Far too often, these kinds of quick-hit armed robberies turn fatal. One man will never come home, and another is going to prison for life.”
McGee was sitting in his car at an apartment complex on Atascocita Road in Humble when he was ambushed by Harris and two other men armed with guns. Harris’ fingerprints and palm prints were later found on the window of McGee’s door, consistent with Harris trying to push the window down or hold it down as it was being rolled up.
McGee tried to drive away, but one of the men fired a pistol at him, hitting him in the back of the head and killing him.
According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Harris is a documented member of the 59 Bounty Hunters (a street gang affiliated with the Bloods), and later admitted to helping rob McGee and taking property out of the car after McGee had been killed.
After an investigation by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Harris was arrested and charged with capital murder. Because he was convicted of murder, he must serve at least 30 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
“The evidence in this case was so overwhelming that the defendant offered to plead guilty to a life sentence,” said Assistant District Attorney Karen Barney, in the DA’s Homicide Division. “This agreement saves the victim’s family from having to testify in at least one trial, and we look forward to going to trial on the other two defendants.”