Harris County Dep. Esqueda murder: Suspect released on bond

Capital murder suspect in killing of HCSO deputy out of jail on bond

FOX 26 brought you extensive coverage of the murder of Deputy Fernando Esqueda. Two men were arrested and charged. All have been behind bars until now.

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - The second suspect charged in the murder of Harris County Deputy Fernando Esqueda is out on bond after posting Tuesday.

Harris County court records show this is the first suspect with this charge to be released on bond in at least 20 years.

Court documents reveal Dremone Francis, 27, was charged with capital murder and tampering/fabricating physical evidence and originally was held on no bond for the charges, though he became bond eligible shortly after his arrest.

His capital murder bond was set at $500,000 by the 248th court in November 2024. His bond for tampering/fabricating was also set to $500,000, making his bond total $1 million.

Clarifying previous reporting

What they're saying:

Initially, FOX 26 reported that Francis' bond was lowered. A spokesperson with the Harris County District Attorney's Office has since confirmed that the suspect's bond was never lowered, nor denied.

According to the spokesperson, when Francis was arrested in July 2024, the State of Texas filed for a proof-evident hearing, which would've made no bond an option. That hearing was supposed to happen within 10 days, but it didn't happen, so Francis became eligible for bond.

It is not clear why the state did not proceed with the hearing. FOX 26 Legal Analyst Chris Tritico says it's possible the state did not have enough evidence to meet the burden of proof for the hearing, or they did not want the evidence presented and available to the defense.

Tritico says without the proof-evident hearing, it is law that the judge set a bond.

The DA's office says it was up to a defense attorney to request a bond, but Francis' public defender allegedly didn't make a request. According to records, Francis hired a different attorney and his bond was set in November 2024.

Murder of Deputy Fernando Esqueda

The backstory:

On July 10, 2024, Deputy Esqueda was tracking down an assault suspect from Little Caesar's Pizza. The initial suspect, now known as Ronald "Ronnie" Palmer. According to reports, Palmer pistol-whipped an employee after his pizza order came back incorrect and then left the business.

Deputy Esqueda was killed while trying to track down a suspect in an assault at a Little Caesar's Pizza on Wallisville Road on July 10, authorities said.

Dremone Francis (Photo: Houston Police Department)

Authorities tracked the suspect's vehicle using the flock camera system, leading detectives to a neighborhood about six miles away, where Deputy Esqueda was apparently ambushed and shot multiple times, officials said.

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Local law enforcement gathered to go out on a manhunt for Palmer, who was arrested and charged with capital murder and two counts of aggravated assault.

Second suspect charged in HCSO deputy's death

A second suspect, 26-year-old Dremone Francis, has been charged with capital murder and tampering/fabricating physical evidence in the deadly shooting of Harris County Deputy Fernando Esqueda.

A witness placed Francis at the scene of the deadly shooting after he claimed he heard what sounded like two different guns. Officials say 41 spent casings from two different types of guns were found at the scene.

Francis allegedly admitted Palmer gave him the weapons right after the shooting and told him to get rid of them.

What's next:

Francis next court appearance is scheduled for March 4. His co-defendant, Palmer, is set to appear Thursday.

Dig deeper:

The Source: Information from this article was gathered from previous FOX 26 reports on the shooting and court documents from Harris County District Clerk's Office.

Crime and Public Safety Harris County