Houston Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Killing Girlfriend in 2023
By Jo-Carolyn Goode
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August 2, 2024 (Houston Style Magazine) — In a tragic turn of events, Christopher George Edwards, a 53-year-old Houston resident, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Tamarah Derry, and the wounding of her adult daughter in January 2023.
A Heartbreaking Loss
“The victim in this case was a loving, caring mother who was killed tragically when an argument escalated into a murder,” stated District Attorney Kim Ogg. “This defendant intentionally chose to take a life, and now he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about that decision.”
On January 23, 2023, a heated argument at the couple’s apartment in south Houston led Edwards to shoot Derry, 41, in the face. In the chaos, he also shot Derry’s daughter in the arm before fleeing the scene. Houston Police officers arrived to find Derry deceased and her daughter injured. The daughter’s testimony at the hospital, along with other witness accounts, led to charges being filed against Edwards.
A History of Violence
Edwards was apprehended days later when he was recognized from media reports. This was not Edwards’ first encounter with the law; he had previously been convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the death of another girlfriend in 1988, for which he served nine years in prison.
In court, Edwards pleaded guilty to the murder of Derry and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for injuring her daughter. The court handed down two 45-year prison sentences to be served concurrently.
Justice Served
Assistant District Attorney Rashonda Shaw, from the Domestic Violence Division, prosecuted the case. “This defendant has a history of assaulting women he dated,” Shaw emphasized. “By holding him accountable and making him admit that what he did was criminal, hopefully, it will help the victim’s family get the closure they need.”
Shaw also noted that Edwards must serve at least half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, and he is barred from appealing his convictions or sentences.
This sentence marks a significant moment in the ongoing fight against domestic violence, reinforcing the message that such acts of violence will be met with severe consequences.
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