GALVESTON — A Hitchcock man was sentenced to 45 years in prison Wednesday after a Galveston County jury convicted him of murder in a shooting prosecutors said stemmed from an argument over borrowing a bicycle.
Jkwon Howard was convicted of murdering Patrick Williams and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting of Jarve Spates-Collier. Jurors sentenced Howard to 45 years in prison for murder and 20 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The shooting occurred May 15, 2025, at Independent Missionary Village Apartments in Hitchcock, according to the Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said the confrontation began after Williams asked to borrow Howard’s bicycle. The jury heard that Howard left the apartment complex before returning that afternoon armed with a gun.
According to prosecutors, Howard approached Williams and fired seven shots at him as Williams stood at the door of a crowded apartment.
Hitchcock police officers responding to the shooting found Williams and Spates-Collier inside an apartment with gunshot wounds to their abdomens. Williams was pronounced dead minutes later.
Spates-Collier testified that he opened the apartment door after hearing gunshots. He told jurors that Williams, already wounded, ran through the open door before colliding with him and falling to the ground. Spates-Collier said he was also struck by one of the bullets and showed jurors a scar on the right side of his stomach.
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Erin Barnhart testified that Williams was shot four times. According to prosecutors, one bullet struck both of Williams’ lungs and his heart before exiting through his right shoulder.
Galveston County Sheriff’s Deputy Mary Wooldridge testified about the scene and the chaos following the shooting. Hitchcock Police Sgt. Michaela Cooley detailed the subsequent investigation, including that investigators found no weapon on or near Williams.
Jurors were also shown Howard’s recorded confession, in which prosecutors said he acknowledged he did not see Williams with a weapon at any point.
Other law enforcement officers testified about evidence recovered during the investigation, including bullet casings and the gun Howard described using. Jurors also heard testimony about authorities finding Howard after he ran from the scene and hid.
Howard testified during the trial and claimed he acted in self-defense. He told jurors Williams charged at him with a bottle and had a “black object” in his pocket that Howard believed was a gun. According to the district attorney’s office, Howard’s testimony directly contradicted statements he previously made during an interview.
After approximately three hours of deliberation, jurors rejected Howard’s self-defense claim and found him guilty of both charges.
During the punishment phase, Howard’s defense attorneys asked jurors to impose sentences of 20 years for murder and 10 years for aggravated assault, arguing that would allow Howard an opportunity to change his life after his release.
Assistant District Attorney Dylan Dominy asked for sentences of no less than 50 years for murder and 20 years for aggravated assault. After approximately 90 minutes of deliberation, the jury sentenced Howard to 45 years for murder and 20 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Dominy and Chief Assistant District Attorney Whitaker Chisam prosecuted the case in the 122nd Judicial District Court, with Judge Jeth Jones presiding.
The district attorney’s office credited the Hitchcock Police Department, Galveston County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office, Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory for their work on the case.
