Three Houston men have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man at a West Houston apartment complex two years ago.
The Houston Police Department reported the shooting occurred on the night of Sept. 17, 2023, at an apartment in the 1200 block of Wilcrest Drive. The suspects—Jason Taylor, 19, Treyveon Barnes, 19, and Javail Brazil, 19—were identified through further investigation.
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The victim, Juan Capote-Palma, was found with a gunshot wound to the head. Houston Fire Department paramedics transported him to a nearby hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
Witnesses reported seeing several masked men in dark clothing running through the area and hearing multiple gunshots. According to court documents, Capote-Palma’s vehicle crashed into several cars in the apartment complex parking lot. A semi-automatic pistol was found next to an empty backpack in the victim’s car, and a shell casing from a 9-millimeter handgun was found several feet away.
Investigators recovered Capote-Palma’s cell phone from the floorboard of his car. Text message conversations on the phone suggested he was involved in selling marijuana and, to a lesser extent, other drugs. Authorities concluded he had been robbed during a drug deal.
Digital forensics Capote-Palma’s phone led investigators to a Harris County teenager named Jason Taylor, who they wanted to speak to regarding the case.
In March 2024, authorities visited the Alief school where Taylor was enrolled. After they revealed information recovered from the phone, Taylor began talking and positively identified the men involved in the crime.
Taylor said another man had planned the robbery, instructing him to message Capote-Palma about buying marijuana. He said the man used his grandmother’s car to drive Taylor, Barnes, and Brazil to the scene. Each man was armed, and Taylor said they planned to “do the play.”
According to Taylor, the three men entered Capote-Palma’s car to complete the deal. One of them pistol-whipped the victim, causing him to start driving. Taylor said the car crashed while the men fired guns in Capote-Palma’s direction. Brazil, identified by Taylor as his cousin, was shot in the leg while sitting in the back seat. After Capote-Palma was shot, Taylor said the victim’s brain was “bleeding and leaking.”
Barnes was arrested on Sept. 18, the day after the murder, for a separate aggravated robbery earlier that month. While in custody, he allegedly spoke on the phone about the murder and Brazil being shot and reportedly mentioned having the drugs stolen during the robbery.
In June 2024, authorities interviewed Barnes, who admitted to being at the scene with Taylor and Brazil. He said they brought money to make the transaction appear legitimate. Barnes said he did not fire shots but heard gunfire as he attempted to open the car door and then fled the scene. In a later call with his mother, Barnes reportedly said investigators “know everything” and his DNA would link him to the scene.
In November 2024, investigators interviewed Brazil at the same Alief school where they had spoken to Taylor. Brazil said he was shot while walking alone through the complex but could not explain how it happened. Authorities reviewed the evidence with him, but he maintained his account.
Taylor and Barnes were arrested by HPD officers on Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, respectively.