KATY, TX – Suspect Jaylon McIntyre faces capital murder charges linked to a deadly shooting at a Katy region birthday party in January. Currently held without bond, McIntyre has allegedly been responsible for the deaths of Nicholas King and Ellesha Rice, (both 24), one of the three fatalities in the shooting.
Michael Odobo, 24, was the third victim, yet no official charges have been made in connection with his death. According to the latest updates on the case, McIntyre remains the sole suspect under investigation for all three murders.
Prosecutor Jamie Burro confirmed, “All three victims are tied to this defendant.” However, “It’s just for a matter of charging, you only have to allege two,” Burro acknowledged.
The event that led to the tragic incident was a birthday celebration held in a short-term rental property on Russet Leaf Trace within the Katy area on January 21. McIntyre, a guest at the party, reportedly drew a gun with laser sights on a woman, seizing her phone. The woman fled downstairs for assistance upon McIntyre’s alleged attempt to grab her, which escalated the situation.
Prosecutors noted that McIntyre then allegedly shot a man who tried to pacify him, initiating a rampage shooting at the party. Witnesses reportedly saw the green laser from McIntyre’s firearm scanning the downstairs area before a volley of shots followed.
Guests at the party sought cover and attempted to escape once the shooting began. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the resulting scene as “very chaotic”.
In the ensuing carnage, three party-goers – Odobo, King, and Rice – were killed. Prosecutor Burro conveyed the somber reality of the incident: “These are three people who went over there for a fun night out, and now their families are going to miss them forever.”
McIntyre himself bore a gunshot injury on his forearm, likely inflicted by those who scrambled to safety and returned fire from outside the property.
The court has scheduled McIntyre’s next hearing for April 17.