A Houston man accused of fatally shooting his neighbor is now held on a $5 million bond.
Christopher Braziel, who reportedly did not know Heather Smith personally but lived in her northwest Harris County neighborhood, is charged with capital murder following the October break-in and shooting.
The $5 million bond was set due to Braziel’s history of troubling behavior in the neighborhood, including alleged incidents where he reportedly pointed firearms at other residents’ homes.
In response to these past actions and Smith’s death, neighbors gathered over 500 signatures, urging authorities to keep Braziel from returning to the community.
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KPRC 2′s Corley Peel spoke with a neighbor who was in the courtroom. Mary Alice Kahanek said Braziel’s $5 million dollar bond is the best the neighborhood could have hoped for.
“We feel like our voices were heard. The judge was definitely sensitive to the neighborhood and the petition,” said Kahanek.
Smith’s mother told Corley she is satisfied with the high dollar bond.
“We’re going to fight for Heather and make sure that justice is done,” said Kahanek.
Corley spoke with Lara Hogue who is the Chief Prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Homicide Division. Corley asked if the neighbors’ petition helped play a role in Braziel receiving the high bond.
“I can’t speak to what the judge considered, but I can say that we presented evidence of that petition. There were quite a few family members as well as neighbors that attended court yesterday. And I did make the judge aware that I believe that petition had 532 signatures. I had spoken to some of the people that had signed that petition, as well as the HOA president for the Hearthstone community. I do think he took that in consideration. And not only their presence, but the fact so many people in the neighborhood were concerned that if he were to get out, the only place he could go to would be back to his mom’s house. And we, of course, don’t want him back in that neighborhood,” said Hogue.
According to the state’s bond conditions, If he posts bond, Braziel is not allowed to return to his mother’s home in the Hearthstone community and will be required to wear a GPS monitor. Braziel’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2025.
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What happened?
Smith’s boyfriend discovered her in her home with multiple gunshot wounds after she hadn’t responded to calls or messages.
The front door had been forced open, and nearby surveillance footage reportedly captured Braziel’s vehicle and his movements outside Smith’s home on the day of the incident.
Police say additional footage shows him holding a firearm with an extended magazine as he paced near her door, later re-entering the home multiple times.