A Magnolia man was sentenced Friday to life without parole in the shooting death of a taco stand owner in 2020.
James Barnes, Jr., 21, was sentenced by 359th state District Court Judge Kathleen Hamilton after a jury found him guilty of capital murder.
“With his actions, Mr. Barnes unleashed violence and chaos in our community, killing an innocent, good, hardworking father and husband for no reason at all,” said chief prosecutor Joel Daniels.
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According to information from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, prosecutors presented evidence Barnes had been involved in an aggravated robbery just hours before he shot and killed Miguel Flores at his taco stand in the 9000 block of Caraway Lane Dec. 6, 2020.
Flores’ wife escaped after a struggle with Barnes, prosecutors said.
Barnes fled the scene before police could arrive but was later arrested after a sergeant with the Magnolia Police Department stopped him for speeding, First Assistant District Attorney Mike Holley stated in a news release Tuesday.
During a search, the sergeant found shell casings which were linked back to the murder scene. The sergeant also found clothes connecting Barnes to the attempted robbery that occurred just before the murder. Flores’ DNA was later found to be present on those same pants, along with a pair of boots located in Barnes’ vehicle, the release stated.
Holley said the jury heard from numerous witnesses, including Flores’ wife and experts on ballistics and DNA.
