BLANCO COUNTY, Texas — A Blanco County attorney who used to practice in Beaumont has been released on a $50,000 bond after being charged with murder in the shooting death of his stepson.
James M. Harris, Jr., 63, is accused of fatally shooting Donald Boumans, 25, late Saturday night, August 28, 2021, in Blanco County according to a probable cause affidavit.
Harris is an attorney in Blanco County but has worked in Southeast Texas with the firm Orgain Bell & Tucker as well as Harris, Lively & Hatfield.
Harris’s wife Debra Duppont told a Blanco County sheriff’s deputy at the scene that Harris shot Boumans following an argument between the two according to the affidavit.
Boumans, who was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:39 p.m., lived in a guest house on the couple’s property the affidavit said. Boumans spent much of his youth in the Beaumont area and attended West Brook High School.
Harris told a deputy and a Texas Ranger that he had gotten into an argument with his stepson during which Boumans “put his hands on” Harris’ face and was dragging him around the kitchen.
No injuries were found on Harris’ face or neck area according to the affidavit.
Harris said he then went into his bedroom, shut the door and got his handgun before coming back out with it and telling Boumans that he needed to leave.
Harris told the deputy that Boumans then began to come toward him at which point he fired a single shot at his stepson the affidavit said.
He could not tell the deputy how close he was to Boumans when he fired. He told them that after he shot Boumans he put the gun away in his bedroom.
Deputies later found a 9mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun in a dresser drawer in the bedroom the affidavit said.
The deputy stated in the affidavit that Harris “did not appear to be remorseful or concerned about his wife’s well being.”
His wife, Dupont, told the deputy that she and Harris had drunk a bottle and a half of wine while Boumans had drank four beers during the evening.
Harris and his stepson began to argue and were physically bumping chests when Dupont intervened and separated them she told the deputy according to the affidavit.
She said that Harris then went to his bedroom and returned with the handgun and shot Boumans.
After he was shot Boumans held his neck as he fell onto his back in a common area of the home according to the affidavit.
She told deputies she couldn’t remember whether Boumans was standing next to or behind her when he was shot but that she did remember hearing the gunshot.
Deputies found one spent cartridge about 10 feet from the body.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.