Bail was set at $200,000 on Thursday for a Texas man accused of fatally shooting another man in the back over a matter of $40.
Corpus Christi-area resident Erick Aguirre, 29, faces a murder charge in the April 11 shooting death of 46-year-old Elliot Nix, who allegedly was pretending to be a parking lot attendant when Aguirre and his dinner date paid him $20 apiece to park in a lot just east of Downtown Houston, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Harris County court. Aguirre, who is alleged to have returned to his date in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, was arrested Tuesday in Aransas County and then transported to Harris County, where he remained in jail as of Thursday afternoon.
Nix was conscious and laying partially in the road in the 1300 block of Chartres Street when he was found by another person, according to court documents, which show Nix later died at a Houston hospital.
"The information in the probable cause alleges a gunshot wound to the back of (Nix)," Michael Hanover, who is prosecuting the case for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, said after Thursday's court hearing. "He was left there, where he ultimately became deceased from that gunshot wound."
Houston-based defense attorney Brent Mayr, who is representing Aguirre, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Thursday.
Aguirre was sentenced to 10 years' probation last September in San Patricio County, stemming from a 2017 charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to Venina Gonzales of the San Patricio County District Clerk's Office.
Harris County court records show that Nix faced two misdemeanor charges from 2022 – for criminal trespassing and theft of less than $100 – at the time of his death. He had multiple prior criminal convictions dating back to 2006, including for theft and trespassing, according to court records.
The woman with whom Aguirre was on a date on the night of April 11 hired an attorney and arranged a voluntary interview with the Houston Police Department after it released surveillance footage of the two in the aftermath of the shooting, according to the probable cause affidavit. Statements made to police by the woman and other witnesses, along with surveillance video from nearby businesses, led to Aguirre's arrest, court documents show.
The woman who was with Aguirre on the night of the shooting has not been arrested or charged with any crimes in connection to the incident, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Aguirre and the woman walked into the Rodeo Goat on Dallas Street, near where they had parked, after their initial encounter with Nix, according to court documents, which show that Aguirre was subsequently told that Nix was a known scammer. Aguirre is then alleged to have been seen running back to his white Cadillac CTS, grabbing a gun from the vehicle, walking in another direction and then returning to his car with the gun a few minutes later, court records show.
"(The woman) stated Erick walked back over to where she was a short time later and told her that he just scared the guy and everything was fine," reads the probable cause affidavit. "She stated they walked into Rodeo Goat and after almost making it to a table Erick started to look uncomfortable and suggested they go eat somewhere else. She stated they then left the restaurant and went to another place to eat."
If Aguirre is released from jail on bond, he is required to wear a GPS monitor and be under continuous house arrest, except for work, according to court documents, which show he also must remain at least 25 miles away from the "Greater Houston area" except when meeting with his defense counsel.
