A Houston man was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison for murder in the shooting death of an 11-year-old boy in 2022, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Our hearts go out to the family because there is absolutely no reason that a little boy should lose his life by just stepping outside of his home,” Ogg said. “All gun violence is awful and pointless, but when someone so young and innocent is killed, it really shows that a bullet does not care.”

Daveyonne Howard, 22, pleaded guilty to murder for shooting 11-year-old Darius “DJ” Dugas at the boy’s apartment complex in northeast Harris County about 7 p.m. during a winter storm on Feb. 3, 2022.

The Gulf Coast region was exceptionally cold that evening, and the boy was going out to the family car to get his jacket.

Howard was in the parking lot, and another man saw him breaking into his car and taking his wallet. The man began following Howard demanding his wallet back as Howard tried to flee.

Instead of giving the wallet back, Howard pulled out a pistol and opened fire on the man. However, DJ happened to be between them and was shot in the chest. Howard then fled.

Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office arrived, and the boy was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Days later, Howard was arrested on a charge of murder. He pleaded guilty earlier this year and was sentenced to 40 years in prison by a judge after a punishment hearing Wednesday.

Assistant District Attorneys Brett Batchelor, who is a chief in the trial bureau of the DA’s Office, and Carina Batista, who is assigned to the office’s Crimes Against Children Division, prosecuted Howard.

“Before the shooting, this defendant was out burglarizing vehicles, so we thought a lengthy sentence was appropriate and justice was done,” Batista said. “He was just shooting in an apartment complex, right in front of a playground, and this could have been anyone’s child. DJ just got caught in the middle.”

Batchelor agreed and said this case highlights the fact that gun violence is so devastating because an innocent bystander can lose their life for no reason at all.

“Crimes like this are why we want to stop gun violence,” Batchelor said. “This was an innocent little boy just going to get his jacket, and now he’s gone forever and his family will never get him back.”

Howard will have to serve at least half of his prison sentence before he is eligible for parole.

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