A Houston man pleaded guilty to murder Monday in exchange for a life sentence in prison for fatally shooting the manager of a convenience store with a game room in south Houston, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced. He was the second man to plead guilty in the 2021 murder.

“This case was solved by law enforcement, but we were able to get justice because civilians who were witnesses in this case were willing to come to court and testify,” Ogg said. “We mourn with the family who lost this beloved uncle and brother to senseless gun violence.”

Aaron Chisolm, 32, admitted to his role in the robbery and shooting of two men at a convenience store in the 7200 block of Long Drive at about 2:45 a.m. on February 16, 2021.

Chisolm and 31-year-old Dontaee Montrell Holmes were in the game room of a convenience store when Holmes pulled a pistol to rob 42-year-old Mahmoud Charkawi, the store manager.

Another employee, who was coming into the store about the same time, realized Charkawi was being robbed and pulled his own handgun. Holmes opened fire and a gunfight broke out.

During the shooting, Charkawi was killed and the man who tried to help him was wounded.

Holmes also pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison in July. Neither man can appeal their convictions or their prison sentences.

Assistant District Attorney Chandler Raine, who is assigned to the DA’s Homicide Division, prosecuted the case with ADA Rachel Guffy, of the DA’s Organized Crime Division.

“This was a tragic case, and this is a just resolution that resulted in both men getting life sentences and waiving their right to appeal, so the family finally has some closure,” Raine said. “Unfortunately, legitimate business owners in our county and our state often have these kinds of game rooms without considering that they can have deadly consequences for their employees.”

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