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Capital murder suspect released on $9,000 bond
FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace explains how a capital murder suspect was released from jail on just a $9,000 bond.
HOUSTON - 30-year-old Eric Todd Semien and three others are charged with capital murder in the May 26, 2016, deaths of Javier Moreno and Roger Pantoja.
"They killed two people, and they also put a gun to a young mother with a 2-month-old, they put a gun to her head as well," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers.
"Capital murder is one of the clear exceptions in Texas law that you can completely deny bond," said businessman and columnist Bill King.
But in 2017, Semien walked out of jail after posting a $150,000 bond.
According to court records, he repeatedly violated the conditions of bond and was back in jail four months later.
"They reinstate the bond, but they lower the bond to $50,000," Kahan said. "Normally when you get your bond revoked, they raise the amount. But this one went dramatically down."
While out on the $50,000 bond for capital murder, Semien is convicted of evading arrest and spends 60 days in jail.
His bond is once again revoked. Then 180th Criminal District Court Judge Desean Jones lowers Semien's bond for capital murder to just $9,000.
"I've never heard of such a thing," King said.
"I have never in my life seen a bond that low for capital murder," said Kahan. "I've never seen a bond that low for murder."
"A $9,000 bond, you pay the bondsman $900," said King. "So for $900 he was able to get out and is roaming around the city of Houston right now."
Eric Semien is probably the first defendant featured in a Breaking Bond report that's still a free man.
FOX 26 decided to go to his northwest Harris County apartment to see if he wanted to comment.
Judging by the eviction notice on the door and all the stuff outside, Eric Semien is long gone.