HOUSTON – A major development is expected Monday in the case of a man accused of shooting and killing an 11-year-old boy who was playing a neighborhood prank.
Prosecutors told the court the grand jury is expected to hand down a capital murder indictment against Gonzalo Leon Jr., a move that could significantly raise the stakes in the case.
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Leon is accused of shooting and killing Julian Guzman last August. Investigators said the child was playing “ding-dong-ditch” outside Leon’s home when he was shot.
NEW: Today, a grand jury is expected to hand down a capital murder indictment for Gonzalo Leon. He's the man accused of shooting and killing 11-year-old Julian Guzman, who police said was playing ding dong ditch at Leon's house last August. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/1lc51AhChT
— Jaewon Jung (@jaewonnews) April 27, 2026
During a court appearance, a scheduled hearing to try to reduce Leon’s bond was put on hold because of the expected grand jury action.
“In the event that indictment does get handed down, any sort of bail proceedings or writs of habeas corpus will have to be readdressed in a different manner.,” defense attorney J. Julio Vela said.
Leon’s defense attorneys had filed a writ of habeas corpus, or a legal filing challenging a defendant’s incarceration, to reduce his bond.
They argue Leon’s bond is too high for the charge he is facing, and presented an exhibit showing 39% of bail amounts for murder in Harris County range between $125K - $250K.
Leon’s bond was set at $1 million.
The defense also used the case to highlight what they describe as inconsistencies in the county’s bail system.
“Sometimes we see bonds at a million dollars… sometimes as low as a hundred to two hundred thousand,” Vela said. “Are those bonds people can actually make, or are they just numbers?”
If the grand jury does not return a capital murder indictment, the writ hearing is expected to take place on Friday.
What changes if the charge is upgraded
Right now, Leon is facing murder, a felony punishable by 5 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
If indicted for capital murder, the punishment range shifts dramatically:
- Life in prison without parole, or
- The death penalty, if pursued by prosecutors
“It’s literally life and death,” said attorney Gianpaolo Macerola. “The stakes get higher when you’re facing a capital indictment.”
Attorneys emphasized Leon is presumed innocent.
“At least now we can get some definitive understanding as to how the state is proceeding,” Macerola said.