A 21-year-old charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of his uncle in 2017 was hoping for a 15-year plea deal.
Andrew Deiontrey Hamilton appeared Monday morning with Texarkana attorney Jeff Harrelson for a pretrial hearing before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell. Harrelson said his client asked that he make an offer to plead guilty to the lesser charge of felony murder and serve a 15-year prison term.
First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp flatly rejected Hamilton’s offer. The case is set for trial March 25 at the Bowie County courthouse in New Boston.
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.
Andrew Hamilton is being housed in the Bowie County jail. Bail is set at $1 million.
