56-year-old ex-con on parole allegedly commits murder while free from jail on personal recognizance bond

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - People on parole are serving the remainder of their sentences in the free world. We've noticed several instances in which the state's prison system and the courts take little or no action when parolees commit new crimes.

56-year-old Michael Carl Draper has six felony convictions.

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"The big one was in 2010, he gets 25 years for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers.

In December 2020, Draper is paroled from prison. He will be on parole until 2033.

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Last August, Draper was charged with felony drug possession. However, 184th Judge Abigail Anastasio grants Draper a personal recognizance bond.

"I can't fathom why you would justify a defendant, who's on parole for a violent offense, that it's in the best interest of public safety to give him a PR bond," Kahan said.

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It wasn't in the best interest of 33-year-old Satisfield Landry. 

Police say he was shot to death last month in the parking lot of a gas station at 7401 Cullen Blvd. The killer police say is Michael Carl Draper.

"There were several bites at the apple that were sadly missed that could have prevented from my perspective of the death of Satisfield Landry," said Kahan.

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We've been seeing more and more instances of parolees getting bond for new criminal charges, instead of a trip back to prison.

Last June, we told you about 30-year-old Quinton Allen, a convicted armed robber who spent almost a decade in prison.

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Allen was paroled December 3, 2021, and within two weeks, he's charged with felon in possession of a weapon.

"He too was given a PR bond, which again simply defies logic," Kahan said.

While free on his PR bond, police say Allen shot and killed 29-year-old Luis Espinoza.

Two men would likely be alive today if the state's prison system and two felony courts had made better decisions.

"The decision by the parole division to allow somebody to remain on supervision, and by the courts, for allowing a PR bond for someone on parole for a violent offense," said Kahan.