Road rage shooter who killed popular Galveston County restaurant owner, headed to prison for 40 years after guilty plea Messiah James Pickens-McCoy, the shooter in the road rage killing of restauranteur Gregory Sharretts in January 2022, will serve 40 years in prison through a plea deal, 405th District Court Judge Jared Robinson declared on Tuesday (1/30/2024). Pickens-McCoy, whose first trial was ended by a mistrial after a prosecutorial misstep in court, entered a guilty plea last week. The sentencing came almost two years to the day that Pickens-McCoy shot and killed Sharretts. Sharrett's wife, stepdaughter, and sister provided victim impact statements on Tuesday before Pickens-McCoy was handcuffed and taken back to jail, where he will await until transferred to a state prison. On Tuesday, he was back in Robinson's court, where the judge sentenced him to 40 years in prison on the charge of murder. Sharretts was the owner of a Bayou Bistro in Bayou Vista. Police reports said Sharretts was headed south on state Highway 3 near the 25th Avenue Extension in Texas City. Eyewitness accounts indicated that Sharretts’ truck was shot at by someone in another car striking Sharretts. Sharretts was taken to a hospital but died upon arrival. Based on eyewitness accounts, police were able to track down a vehicle believed to have been involved in the shooting at the Costa Mariposa apartments in the 7500 block of Monticello in Texas City. Police arrested Messiah James Pickens-McCoy, and he was charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and evading arrest in a vehicle. Another person - later to be named Noah Pickens-McCoy, Messiah’s brother - was also in the vehicle. He was detained but was not charged. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Mistrial declared in Texas City road rage murder trial after prosecutor’s misstatement. UPDATE 5:30 PM The lead prosecutor in the road-rage murder trial of Messiah James Pickens-McCoy erroneously claimed the defendant faced a charge of assaulting the mother of his child. While Pickens-McCoy, who took to the stand in his defense, faces two other assault charges, neither involves the woman whom prosecutor Raneca Henson named during cross-examination. Because the erroneous assault allegation was made in open court, defense attorney Greg Russell objected, prompting a meeting in the judge’s office with Henson and Russell. When they returned, Henson argued that the defense opened the door that prompted her to ask about the alleged assault. Russell argued that the door was never opened. After about 20 minutes, 405th District Court Judge Jared Robinson returned to the bench and declared a mistrial, noting the prosecutor’s misstatement. ‘They tainted the jury and the judge made the right decision,’ Russell said. “Since this case is still pending, our ability to discuss any details about it is very limited,” Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady said. ‘We are extremely disappointed with the outcome today.‘ Pickens-McCoy will be held in the county jail without bond. Pickens-McCoy faces murder charges in the road-rage killing of popular Galveston County restauranteur Gregory Sharretts on January 26, 2022. Sharretts owned a popular restaurant in Bayou Vista called Bayou Bistro. Police reports said Sharretts was headed south on state Highway 3 near the 25th Avenue Extension. Eyewitness accounts indicated that Sharretts’ truck was shot at by someone in another car striking Sharretts. Sharretts was taken to a hospital but died upon arrival. Based on eyewitness accounts, police were able to track down a vehicle believed to have been involved in the shooting at the Costa Mariposa apartments in the 7500 block of Monticello in Texas City. Police arrested Messiah James Pickens-McCoy and charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and evading arrest in a vehicle. He was booked into the Galveston County jail and denied bond. Another person - later to be named Noah Pickens-McCoy, Messiah’s brother - was also in the vehicle. He was detained but was not charged. Messiah James Pickens-McCoy’s trial began Tuesday (11/7/2023) in the 405th District Court with Judge Jared Robinson. Pickens-McCoy was arraigned in front of a jury.

Posted by i45NOW Joey at 2023-11-09 21:49:48 UTC