A man free on bond and about to face trial in a Sugar Land murder case apparently cut off an electronic monitoring device Thursday and is on the run.
| James Hao-Hu Taylor |
James Hao-Hu Taylor, 20, was living in Houston at least until Thursday, when his monitoring device, which had been attached to his ankle, stopped transmitting, said Reggie Robinson of the Fort Bend County Community Supervision Department.
Taylor, who was free on $250,000 bond, faces a January 23 trial date for the May 17, 2005, murder of Patricia Zehler, 46. The mother of three was shot at her Sugar Land home on Flintrock Court, apparently after a drug deal went bad.
Fort Bend County Associate Judge Pedro Ruiz issued a warrant Friday for Taylor’s arrest. Robinson said Taylor had violated terms of his bond. He also said the monitoring devices are difficult to remove, but can be cut off. When they are, the community supervision department is electronically notified.
A Fort Bend County Sheriff’s spokeswoman said Taylor is believed to be driving an Off-white 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado 2-door, with Texas license plate 710-RJG. He has relatives in Austin, and in San Diego, she said.
According to news reports from the time, Sugar Land police officers arrived at Zehler’s home the evening of the shooting to find her collapsed on the front porch with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police said a woman friend of Zehler’s 20-year-old son had come to the home with two men who wanted to buy marijuana. But both pulled out handguns during the transaction.
According to police reports, one shot was fired, no one was hit and the woman and two men ran out of the house. Then, one of the men turned and fired another shot, which is believed to have killed Zehler.
Two days later, Taylor and his lawyer walked into the Fort Bend County Jail, where Taylor turned himself in. A second suspect, Keith Klepper, was arrested later in Alabama. Klepper, 18 at the time of his arrest, still is in jail.
Jessie Lane Pitre, 20 at the time of the shooting, also was reportedly arrested at her Meadows Place home for her part in the shooting death.
The sheriff’s department is urging anyone with information about Taylor to contact Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers, at 281-342-8477.
James Hao-Hu Taylor, 20, was living in Houston at least until Thursday, when his monitoring device, which had been attached to his ankle, stopped transmitting, said Reggie Robinson of the Fort Bend County Community Supervision Department.
Taylor, who was free on $250,000 bond, faces a January 23 trial date for the May 17, 2005, murder of Patricia Zehler, 46. The mother of three was shot at her Sugar Land home on Flintrock Court, apparently after a drug deal went bad.
Fort Bend County Associate Judge Pedro Ruiz issued a warrant Friday for Taylor’s arrest. Robinson said Taylor had violated terms of his bond. He also said the monitoring devices are difficult to remove, but can be cut off. When they are, the community supervision department is electronically notified.
