Houston man convicted of murdering 11-year-old boy

A Houston man has been given several decades prison sentence after killing an 11 year old boy in the crossfire of an unrelated violent robbery.

Daveyonne Howard, 22, pleaded guilty to murder for killing 11-year-old Darius “DJ” Dugas at his Northeast apartment complex Harris County on February 3, 2022.

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He was sentenced to 40 years behind bars.

The shooting happened around 7 p.m., during an unusual winter storm in the Houston area. Howard had broken into a man’s car in the complex’s parking lot to steal his wallet. The man caught him red-handed and chased him in an attempt to get the wallet back. Howard pulled out a gun and opened fire.

While this was happening, Dugas had walked outside to get his jacket from his family’s car. He was between Howard and the other man and was shot in the chest. Howard left.

Dugas was rushed to the hospital where he died.

Howard was arrested days later and charged with murder and pleaded guilty earlier this year.

After the sentencing, Dugas’ mother, Brenetta Francis, said she approved of the 40-year sentence for Howard, even though it will never make up for what he did.

“I believe it was fair. No amount of time will bring DJ back, but I do feel like justice was served today.”

Carina Batista, who works at the Crimes Against Children Unit The Harris County Prosecutor’s Office and sued Howard, said his actions before the shooting showed disregard for child safety and contributed to his sentence.

“Prior to the shooting, this defendant was burglarizing vehicles, so we felt a lengthy sentence was appropriate and justice was done,” Batista said. “He was just filming in an apartment complex, right in front of a playground, and this could have been anyone’s kid. DJ just got right in the middle of it.”