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Houston Father Charged With Murder in Christmas Gas Station Shooting of Man Mistaken for Kidnapper

Police cite surveillance video alongside a criminal complaint as they build the case following the suspect's surrender.

Overview

  • Jonathan Ross Mata, 39, turned himself in on Wednesday, was charged with murder, posted a $50,000 bond, and has a Feb. 25 court date.
  • Investigators say Mata and his wife drove to a Houston gas station after a call from their 19-year-old daughter reporting an assault by her boyfriend.
  • Surveillance video shows Mata’s wife chasing a gray Honda Pilot as it left the station before Mata fired at the fleeing SUV, striking the driver.
  • The driver, 25-year-old Desmond Butler, crashed into a pole and later died; police say he did not know the suspect or the suspect’s family.
  • A criminal complaint states the couple approached the crashed vehicle, said they were looking for their kidnapped daughter, left without calling 911, and later went to police with a lawyer.