Texas gang member gets life without parole for killing 11-year-old boy while free on bond for capital murder
'A little boy with his whole life ahead of him was murdered because of a cold-blooded ambush in broad daylight': Harris County DA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Texas gang member found guilty of killing an 11-year-old boy and his stepfather in 2020, while free on bond for capital murder four years later, has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said 23-year-old Desmond Hawkins was convicted of capital murder for fatally shooting 11-year-old Dominic Suicek and his stepfather, 41-year-old Menuell Solomon on Oct. 26, 2020, as the two sat in Solomon’s car outside their home.
"A little boy with his whole life ahead of him was murdered because of a cold-blooded ambush in broad daylight," Ogg said. "This was a capital murder, and the appropriate sentence is life in prison without parole."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Desmond Hawkins booking photo (Harris County District Attorney's Office)
At the time of the murder, Hawkins was free on bond for a capital murder that occurred on Oct. 10, 2016. Ogg’s office said in the 2016 case, Hawkins was arrested for shooting and killing John Pye, during a robbery — the two men knew each other.
After posting bond, Hawkins was equipped with an ankle monitor that could track his location using GPS technology.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When Hawkins killed Solomon and Suicek, he was wearing the monitor.
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The GPS monitor data showed that on the day of the murder, Hawkins was waiting for Solomon to come home. (Harris County Sheriff's Office / Facebook / File / Fox News)
Nearly a week before the murder, Solomon reported to police that an unknown man attempted to kill him by shooting at him while sitting in his Mercedes-Benz, parked in the driveway of his west Houston townhouse.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The GPS monitor data showed that on the day of the murder, Hawkins was waiting for Solomon to come home, and even cut a hole in a chain-linked fence to get to Solomon faster.
The DA’s office said Hawkins waited for at least three hours for Solomon to come home.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the two-week trial, jurors were presented with all the available evidence and quickly convicted Hawkins of capital murder Monday. (iStock)
When Solomon backed into his driveway with his 11-year-old stepson in the passenger seat at about 4:30 p.m., Hawkins emerged from the hole in the fence, shot Suicek twice and Solomon four times. Both victims died almost instantly, the DA’s office said.
Surveillance footage from nearby cameras showed Hawkins ambush the vehicle while wearing the ankle monitor.
It is still unknown why Hawkins targeted Solomon.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the two-week trial, jurors were presented with all the available evidence and quickly convicted Hawkins of capital murder Monday.
Immediately after the conviction, Hawkins was sentenced to life in prison and will never be eligible for parole.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Based on what we saw in the evidence, we believe this was an orchestrated hit," Assistant District Attorney Christopher Condon said. "The jury did the right thing in handing down a conviction for capital murder."
Condon and Assistant District Attorney Nancy Ta prosecuted the case, with Ta adding the evidence shows it was a premeditated ambush.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The defendant laid in wait for three hours, during the light of day to execute a young boy and his stepfather," Ta said. "Hawkins made a decision to end Dominic’s life before the boy could even turn 12, and now 12 citizens of Harris County have decided how Hawkins will spend the rest of his."