NEW BOSTON, Texas: Testimony is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning at the Bowie County courthouse in the trial of a 21-year-old man accused of capital murder in the death of his uncle.
Andrew Deiontrey Hamilton allegedly shot one of the two uncles with whom he lived in the course of a robbery in September 2017. A jury of nine men and three women was chosen Tuesday to decide the case before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell.
Texarkana attorney Jeff Harrelson is representing Andrew Hamilton. First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards are prosecuting.
Andrew Hamilton is accused of murdering Winfred Hamilton, 61, the evening of Sept. 14, 2017, in a house at 402 Village Lane where Andrew Hamilton lived with his uncles, Winfred Hamilton and Roland Hamilton, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Roland Hamilton called police after finding Winfred Hamilton’s body on the living room floor. Winfred Hamilton had been shot once in the head.
Roland Hamilton told investigators that Winfred Hamilton and Andrew Hamilton were home when he left the house after 6 p.m. Sept. 14, 2017, but that Andrew Hamilton was gone when he returned home around 11 p.m. and found his brother dead. Roland Hamilton told investigators that a safe in his bedroom had been broken into and that items including handguns, jewelry and old coins were missing, along with ammunition. Also missing was a 1998 Oldsmobile Delta 88 which is owned by Roland Hamilton and frequently driven by Winfred Hamilton.
Andrew Hamilton, whom the affidavit states also uses the name Riko Gambino, was arrested at approximately 4:40 a.m. Sept. 15, 2017, by members of the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department. Items which had been stolen from Roland Hamilton’s bedroom including a .357 pistol, a holster, jewelry and coins were allegedly found in the Oldsmobile at the time of Andrew Hamilton’s arrest.
Police later recovered a Cobra .380 pistol believed to have been stolen from Roland Hamilton’s bedroom which Andrew Hamilton had allegedly sold to another person. According to the affidavit, investigators believe the .380 pistol was used to kill Winfred Hamilton.
The trial is expected to last the rest of the week. Andrew Hamilton has been unable to make bond on a $1 million bail and is being held in the Bowie County jail.