BEAUMONT, Texas — A Mauriceville man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the 2022 hit-and-run murder of a Beaumont man.
Max Lee Keath, 46, of Mauriceville, was found guilty by a Jefferson County jury for the death of Christopher Matthews, 38, of Beaumont in 2022.
Keath had faced from five to 99 years in prison.
Judge Raquel West presided over the trial at the 252 District Court.
The Jury was selected on Monday, October 23, 2023.
Wednesday's Testimony
Prosecutor Phillip Smith continued laying out his case against Keath Wednesday afternoon.
Isaac Roberts took the stand Wednesday morning. He described being in a hot tub at the party that Matthews complained about.
Roberts described seeing a man at the fence saying the people at the party needed to keep quiet. He testified that the conversation with the man on the other side of the fence began calm, but the conversation "escalated," saying they began cussing at each other.
Smith asked if there was anything that made him fear for his life in the conversation and Roberts said no. Smith also asked him if anyone tried to get into a physical disturbance and he said no.
Roberts described standing on a fence to see over it and said he saw a truck without headlights approach Matthews. He testified that he thought a drive-by shooting or something was about to go down, so he jumped off the fence.
He testified he heard someone say, “Oh my gosh, he just got hit.”
He told Smith he could hear the truck hit the victim, then heard tires screech.
“Did you recognize the truck that struck him,” Smith asked Roberts.
“Not until he came back around and came to get his cooler out of our back yard,” Roberts said.
Roberts said Keath did not seem upset.
In cross examination, Defense Attorney Thomas Kelley asked Roberts if he knew the name of the man who was in the truck. He said no.
Kelley asked Roberts if he knew what time the argument happened. Roberts said he did not remember.
The defense attorney also asked how long the argument over the fence between Keath and Matthews lasted. Roberts said he did not remember.
Roberts testified that there was cussing and name calling during the argument. Kelley asked if he was concerned about a possible drive-by. Roberts said yes, but he also testified that he did not know it was Keath.
Three other witnesses who were at the party took the stand Wednesday morning.
Tuesday's Testimony
Court proceedings began on Tuesday, October, 24, 2023. Keath pleaded not guilty after the prosecutor read the indictment.
Prosecutor, Phillip Smith began opening statements by recounting the events that led up to the death of Matthews. It all began at a Halloween party at Keath's home.
When the party was over, some people went to a home in Beaumont and got into a hot tub. At some point, Keath left his home and went to the home in Beaumont, Smith said in court.
Smith told the jury that the people in the hot tub drank and were being loud. He said evidence will show that Matthews, who lived across the fence from where the party was, left his home to tell them to keep it down because it was after midnight.
Smith said there was a verbal argument between the people and Matthews.
Smith told the jury that evidence will show them that Keath got out of the hot tub, drove to Matthew’s side of the fence to confront him and saw Matthews arguing over the fence with people in the hot tub.
He said evidence is clear that Keath intentionally accelerated his truck and hit Matthews, then drove back to the party to get his stuff, and drove back to his home.
Smith also told jurors they will hear an interview with Keath, where he admitted to killing Matthews, but claimed it was in self-defense because he thought Matthews had a gun.
He went on to tell the jury they should pay attention to what witnesses say. He said this evidence, which will include video and photos, will show this is NOT a self-defense case.
Defense Attorney Thomas Kelley began opening statements by telling the jury that Keath acted in self-defense.
He told them to listen to testimony that will be presented and count how many people said that Matthews had a gun. He told the jury that if someone tells you they have a gun, you take it seriously.
“Our belief is that Max acted in accordance with the law,” Kelley said in court.
Kelley told the jury he believes they will find Keath not guilty once they have heard all of the testimony.
Background of the case
On October 30, 2022, Beaumont Police responded to a call about a person who had been hit by a vehicle at 3875 North Major Drive in Beaumont according to the probable cause affidavit.
When officers arrived, they found Matthews laying by a wooden fence with a severe head wound. He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition where he later died.
Two witnesses said they ran from 3920 Cheryl Lane to the scene. They then called 911 and said that Matthews had been struck by a light colored truck.
Officers spoke to several witness at the scene who said the people living at 3920 Cheryl Lane were having a verbal disturbance with Matthews, according to the affidavit.
During the disturbance, witnesses said they heard loud tire screeching before then hearing a loud thud. They saw the light colored truck speeding away from the scene towards Major Drive.
Officers determined that the suspect driving the truck was Keath. An address was located for Keath in Orange.
Detectives from Beaumont Police Department and Deputies from Orange County spoke to Keath and his wife at their home. Keath verbally agreed to come to the Beaumont Police Department to speak with Detectives, the affidavit states.
Orange County Deputies found a vehicle matching the description of light colored truck at Keath's address. The truck was parked behind a building behind the home in what appeared to be an attempt to hide the vehicle from view, according to the affidavit.
Keath told detectives that he was drinking and socializing with friends at the Cheryl Lane address, when a verbal disturbance broke out between Matthews and the homeowner, according to the affidavit.
During the disturbance, Keath said he entered his truck and drove to the Major Drive address, where Matthews was located.
The affidavit states that, according to Keath, when Matthews observed the truck he lifted his shirt with his hand making Keath believe he had a firearm. Keath admitted he accelerated towards Matthews and intentionally hit him with the front side of the truck.
Keath then backed up, turned around and fled the scene.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.