New details reveal suspects fired at Jazmine Barnes' vehicle by mistake
HOUSTON, Texas -- New details in the deadly shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes revealed the suspects fired at the car she was in by mistake. According to court documents, the suspects believed it was another vehicle.
An investigation tip led authorities to 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. who has been charged with capital murder in the deadly shooting and a second suspect has been taken into custody.
An investigation revealed evidence that corroborated the tip, authorities say, and Black was taken into custody in east Harris County without incident. He later reportedly admitted to taking part in the shooting.
Black appeared in court just before 5 a.m. Sunday. During court, it was revealed the suspects learned they had fired into the wrong vehicle after watching the news.
Documents also revealed sources stated the suspected vehicle in the deadly shooting was not the red pickup truck, and that Black was driving a rental vehicle of unknown description.
According to a judge, Black returned the vehicle after the shooting and got a new rental - which he was driving at the time of the arrest.
During the investigation, Black said the pistol used in the shooting was at his residence. He signed a consent to search and investigators recovered a nine-millimeter pistol - which is consistent with the caliber of shell casings recovered at the original scene.
After his court appearance, the state asked Black to be held without bail.
The incident happened when Jazmine's mother was driving Jazmine and her three sisters southbound on the East Sam Houston Parkway feeder road near Wallisville Road at approximately 6:50 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 30.
LaPorsha Washington, Jazmine's mother, was injured during the shooting.
Following Black's arrest, sources told ABC13 Larry Woodruffe, 24, was also arrested as a second suspect in the case. Those sources said Woodruffe is believed to be the shooter.
Woodruffe appeared in court Sunday morning on a drug possession charge, where a judge said he is also a suspect in a capital murder investigation.
During court, investigators say a traffic stop was conducted on Jan. 5 at the 13,600 block of Woodforest Boulevard on a 2007 Pontiac GC, Woodruffe was driving, for an obscured license plate and a defective light.
According to authorities, when they made contact with Woodruffe they detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from his vehicle. He was detained at the scene.
During a pat down search, officers say they found a plastic bottle containing 124 pills, some which they recognized to be Xanax.
A judge has set Woodruffe's bail to $100,000, but additional charges could be added.
This is not Woodruffe's first encounter with the law, as he has multiple prior convictions.
The story has captured the attention of community members, celebrities and activists around the world.
Jazmine was a second grader who was on winter break from L.E. Monahan Elementary School in Sheldon ISD. "Jaz," as her family called her, dreamed of one day becoming a school teacher.
"Jazmine loved music, Jazmine loved dancing," her mother said.
Jazmine's father, Christopher Cevilla, says the past few days have been so much to handle. News of the arrests gives them time to focus on what happened to their daughter.
"We were happy. It was a sigh of relief that the police did their job and found who they feel is the right suspect," said Cevilla.
Cevilla said he has nothing to say to the suspects arrested in connection to his daughter's death when asked by reporters.
"We're going to mourn. We haven't even had a chance to mourn yet. We've just been going. We haven't had a chance to sit down and mourn. That's what we're going to do, mourn and get through this as a family," he said.
Jazmine's funeral is scheduled for Tuesday. Her family is establishing a scholarship fund in her memory.
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