HPD: Boy says he killed man who sexually assaulted him

Posted in Related Deaths

2-20-2009 Texas:

Dead man's nephew disputes boy's story, but says uncle led a violent lifestyle

A 15-year-old boy has told police that he shot and killed a man in northeast Houston this week after the man grabbed him on his way to school and sexually assaulted him, investigators say.

Joe Edward Gary, a 51-year-old ex-convict, was found dead by his nephew at the nephew's house in the 8600 block of Lockwood about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

That same day, investigators said, the teenager told Houston school authorities that a man had abducted him at gunpoint as he walked to school and taken him to the house and sexually assaulted him.

The boy said that he managed to get the man's gun and shoot him in the head, officials said. He then went to school and reported the attack.

The boy was taken to a hospital and an examination confirmed that he had been sexually assaulted, police said.

School officials alerted Houston police, and homicide detectives who were investigating Gary's death realized that he was the man the boy said he had shot.

According to investigators, neighbors reported hearing gunfire early in the morning. Police said no charges have been filed in connection with the shooting.

The shooting occurred in the home of Richmond Gary, who said his uncle had stayed with him for about two weeks after serving about 19 years in prison for a drug-related offense.

Gary, 32, said he was not at home when the shooting happened.

"It's tough, but I know my uncle," he said. "I never expected anything of this nature, but with his lifestyle, gunplay comes in."

Joe Gary had a number of convictions on his record in Harris County dating back to the mid-1980s, including burglary, theft and drug-related offenses.

According to records, he also has used the names Joe Henry Wilson and Joe E. Phillips.

Richmond Gary said he doesn't believe the boy's account that he was sexually assaulted. He said he suspects that the boy willingly had sex with the older man, because he had seen the boy at the house a few days earlier, looking at Joe Gary's extensive collection of music CDs and tapes. ..News Source.. by DALE LEZON, Houston Chronicle