TOMBALL, Texas – Michael Brandon Jemison, 29, went before a judge Thursday evening to simply determine if he had a lawyer, but the charge against him is far from simple.
He is accused of the murder of Justin Jones -- allegedly dealing a deadly blow to Jones inside a Tomball Walmart on Monday.
In court, a clerk read the allegations that Jones accompanied a friend to the store so the friend could repay money he owed to Jemison's girlfriend.
Not knowing Jones and Jemison had an ongoing beef -- the friend witnessed a verbal argument between the two men, which allegedly led Jemison to strike Jones in the head with a motorcycle helmet.
Investigators said Jemison fled, and paramedics later rushed Jones, who had severe head trauma, to a hospital in The Woodlands, where he would die from his head injuries.
After Jemison was identified, with the help of surveillance video, a task force tracked him down and arrested him at a residence in Waller County on Wednesday.
Jemison's bond was kept at $50,000.
He turns 30 on Friday, so unless he can come up with the money, he will spend his birthday in jail.