A man who shot his estranged wife’s boyfriend last May in Nash, Texas pleaded guilty to murder Thursday, February 5, 2015 in a Bowie County courtroom.
James Austin Friend, 35, entered the guilty plea of murder for killing Larry Gray but must go back to court and face a jury for sentencing.
According to a probable cause affidavit submitted by Nash Police Department, Detective Michael Sutton, Traci Friend and her boyfriend, Larry Gray, arrived in to their home and found Fiend in the house. Traced advised James Friend was in the back bedroom of the house with her children and had a gun which he pointed at her and said, “I’m going to kill you.”
The affidavit continues that Traci advised Gray then stepped in and got in and argument with Friend at which time Friend pointed the gun at Gray and shot him multiple times.
A first degree felony carries a term of five to 99 years. If the jury finds that Friend acted with sudden passion the sentence decreases to two to 20 years.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin March 10 at Bowie County Courthouse in New Boston, Texas.
Video from the night of the murder.
