BEAUMONT, Texas — A Beaumont man has rejected a plea deal and will stand trial for the shooting death of a 32-year-old Beaumont man nearly two years ago.
Markeith Rashaad Morgan, 34, could face from five to 99 years in prison if found guilty of fatally shooting Antonio Wilson, 32, on August 6, 2020.
If Morgan, who appeared before Judge Raquel West in 252nd District Court Wednesday, had taken the plea deal he would have been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Defense attorney Tom Burbank told Judge West in court Wednesday that his client had rejected the plea deal.
No date has been set for his trial.
Wilson was found in a parking lot in the 5900 block of Bedford Drive suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died.
The Beaumont Police Department Special Assignment Unit and the US Marshals Service arrested Morgan on a murder warrant in the 2200 block of W. Virginia in Beaumont on January 27, 2022.
"Just tell that man mama, I'm so sorry for what happened. I didn't shoot the person. I didn't shoot him at all. I have a mother too, so I understand. It's been with me for a while," Morgan said while in police custody.
Throughout the investigation, officers believed more than one suspect was involved in the shooting. Detectives said they are expecting more arrests in connection with the murder.
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Police have said in the past that there are possibly four people connected with the murder.
Morgan confessed to a witness that he and three others attempted to rob Wilson of money and marijuana they believed was in Wilson’s possession, probable cause affidavit says.
A witness told police that Morgan drove the suspects to Bedford Drive where they attempted to rob Wilson. The witness told police that Morgan said two people were shooting at Wilson.
An autopsy revealed that Wilson’s cause of death was “a penetrating gunshot of the torso.”
The witness told police Morgan said he drove the car away from the scene after the shooting with others inside, according to court documents.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.