On Monday, September 25, a 23-year-old Texas gang member was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the ambush and fatal shootings of an 11-year-old boy and his 41-year-old stepfather in Houston, Texas, on October 10, 2020.
At the time of the crime, Desmond Hawkins was free on bond related to a 2016 capital murder charge. He was also wearing a GPS-equipped ankle monitor.
Records from the monitor revealed that Hawkins had been lingering around Menuell Solomon’s driveway for several hours, anticipating their return.
Prosecutors detailed how Hawkins had prepared for the attack, cutting a hole in a nearby fence. As Solomon pulled into the driveway with Dominic Sumicek in the passenger seat, Hawkins emerged and opened fire, striking the child twice and Solomon four times, resulting in their immediate deaths.
Corroborating the GPS data, surveillance footage also captured the incident, showing Hawkins rushing toward the crime scene with the ankle monitor visibly strapped to him.
While the motive behind targeting Solomon remains a mystery, Solomon was known online as a YouTube rapper named “Montana22.” The aftermath of the crime left the community and family in shock, with Dominic’s mother expressing the profound loss of her young son, who was “just barely 11.”
After a two-week trial, the jury found Hawkins guilty of capital murder based on the overwhelming evidence presented, including the GPS records and surveillance video. Another suspect, 39-year-old Dewayne Batiste, was also charged with capital murder in the case.
