Harris County murder suspect violates bond conditions twice, nothing happens

Breaking Bond: Murder suspect violates bond conditions twice, nothing happens

A 20-year-old charged with murdering a 21-year-old acquaintance violates his bond conditions twice, and the court takes no action.

HOUSTON - A 20-year-old charged with murdering a 21-year-old acquaintance violates his bond conditions twice, and the court takes no action.

21-year-old shot to death

The backstory:

Elijah Edwards was one day shy of turning 22 when he was shot to death on April 28.

"Elijah was a good kid, smart, loving, he'd take the shirt off his back for you," said his mother, Alicia Smith.

"If somebody had a problem, he was first to be over there to help," said Elijah's father, Chris Edwards.

Police say Elijah was gunned down by someone he knew, 20-year-old Xavier Garcia.

"I'm empty. I feel like half my insides is gone," said Elijah's mother.

"Slap on the wrist"

According to court documents, the district attorney’s office wanted Xavier Garcia's bond set at $500,000. But 487th Criminal District Court Judge Stacy Allen Barrow set bond at $100,00.

Months after being released on the $100,000 bond, court documents show Garcia violated his bond conditions twice.

One of Garcia's bond violations, according to the documents, was for cutting off the strap on his electronic monitoring device.

"If you remove, destroy or tamper with an ankle monitor, you are subject to criminal charges," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers.  "I was kind of surprised he was not."

The court did nothing to Garcia, not even raise his bond amount.

What they're saying:

"I think trust the process is crap," said Alicia Smith. "I feel like he has no regard for rules and regulations, and he's getting a slap on the wrist."

"Why have bond conditions if you're not going to enforce them," Kahan said. "Especially for someone who's on bond for murder and has clearly demonstrated he's not going to abide by his curfew and his ankle monitor."