HOUSTON – KPRC 2 News has learned that a person of interest in the shooting of a Texas judge has been charged with murder in an unrelated case.
Chimene Hamilton Onyeri, 28, was arrested Monday night by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force in the 12700 block of Bissonnet in Houston on a charge for an outstanding auto theft warrant out of Louisiana, according to law enforcement sources.
According to court documents, Onyeri is charged with the unrelated May 18 fatal shooting of Jacobi Demon Alexander, 31, at an apartment complex at 6771 Westbranch Drive.
Alexander's father and stepmother are hoping the arrest will give them answers as to why he was killed.
"For somebody just to sneak up on him out of a dark place and just shoot him like that and didn't take nothing from him I don't understand. It wasn't a robbery so I'm still confused on what it was even about," Alexander's father Terry Sutton said.
Police have yet to release a motive in the case.
Onyeri is still considered a person of interest in the shooting of Travis County Court Judge Julie Kocurek. At about 10:15 p.m. Friday, Kocurek was shot outside her home near Austin.
"The person or persons that attacked Judge Kocurek discharged several rounds at her, into her car. Investigators absolutely believe that the assault was an attempt to murder her, an attempt on her life," Austin Police Chief Art Acevado said. We absolutely believe that she was targeted for that attack Friday evening."
The Austin Police Department said Onyeri had a case pending in Kocurek's court, but have not said what he was doing in the Houston area.
A source told KPRC that the shell casings in the judge's shooting match those found in an unrelated murder case in Harris County.
As Kocurek recovers, her family released a statement on Monday that read:
"The Kocurek family is grateful to everyone for their thoughts, prayers and support; the outpouring has been a tremendous source of encouragement. Judge Kocurek is receiving great care from a wonderful team of doctors and nurses. Their efforts, along with Judge Kocurek's faith, are helping her improve every day."
Onyeri's father said it was impossible for his son to commit the crime because he was with him last Friday.
"He was here, he was in Houston, all throughout," Innocent Onyeri said. "He said nothing charged with anything, but he said he is a suspect for what happened in Austin."
He said his son was sentenced to probation in 2013 for credit card fraud by Kocurek, but it was revoked in August. He was expected back in her court on Wednesday.
Chimene Onyeri has a criminal history that dates back to 2012 in Travis County. The police chief of Rollingwood near Austin said his car was stopped and an officer found stolen identification.
"They were in possession of stolen identity. They had credit card swipers and they would run around opening accounts, gift cards, stuff that you see a lot of right now," Rollingwood Chief Dayne Pryor said.