Teen faces capital murder charge in downtown fatal shooting

HOUSTON – A J. Frank Dobie High School student faces a capital murder charge after a man was shot and killed at a downtown apartment complex earlier this month. 

Jourdan Ellison, 17, is accused of shooting and killing Christian Lezama multiple times at an apartment complex at the 1800 block of St. Joseph Parkway on Sept. 4. He also faces a felony burglary charge and is being held without bond.

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After the shooting, police said they questioned three witnesses who named Ellison as a suspect. One witness said he was a friend of Lezama's and was with him the night he was killed. He told police the two of them went to an apartment on Sept. 4 and when they drove through the gate, Ellison allegedly walked in behind them. 

The witness told police he didn't know Ellison but Lezama did, and they all sat in the living room playing video games. At one point, Lezama went to the fridge, and that's when Ellison pointed a gun at everyone in the room. He said two other people came into the apartment and started searching it. 

Ellison allegedly ordered Lezama to take off a necklace and diamond-plated teeth, but Lezama refused. After that, the witness told police he heard multiple gunshots and the Ellison and the two others left the apartment. 

Another witness told police Ellison attended Dobie High School and that Ellison fired the first shot. 

When police questioned Ellison, he said he'd been at the apartment on the night of the shooting. He also admitted to dealing drugs and said he left the scene to get cigarillos and then returned. Police said he told them he let the other two men into the apartment.