Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully secured a life sentence without parole for Brandon Keith Harris in connection to the 2020 murder of 24-year-old Valerie Hackett in Longview, Texas.
Harris was convicted of the murder which occurred during a retaliation attack aimed at residents and employees of an apartment complex. This act followed Harris's prior arrest in 2019 for assault and the unlawful discharge of a firearm at the same location.
During the incident, Harris entered the management offices where he fatally shot Hackett and attempted to target the apartment manager who managed to escape. He then proceeded to shoot at bystanders while actively seeking individuals he held responsible for his prior arrest. Fortunately, no additional injuries were reported, and Harris fled the scene.
Prompt action by law enforcement officers from the Longview Police Department led to the swift arrest of Harris. Following his apprehension, Harris admitted to the shooting, expressing remorse only for not being able to kill the other individuals he sought revenge against.
Despite his refusal to participate, Harris was found guilty of capital murder by jurors after three hours of deliberation. He has subsequently been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Division, represented by Assistant Attorneys General Anna Lee McNelis and Wes Mau, handled the prosecution of this capital murder case due to a conflict of interest in the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office.
