HOUSTON — The man charged in a deadly shooting in northwest Houston earlier this month will remain behind bars. On Wednesday, a judge denied bond for 25-year-old Jorge Valles who is charged with murder and tampering with evidence.
Houston Police released an update on Tuesday, including the identity of the young father found dead inside a wrecked car riddled with bullet holes in Spring Branch. They said 28-year-old Micah Middleton crashed through the fence of a business on 34th Street between Hempstead Road and Antoine Drive after he was shot on Nov. 15.
The business owners made the disturbing discovery when they arrived at work that Friday morning.
At that time, homicide detectives didn't have a motive or a suspect. Further investigation led them to charge Valles who was arrested on Monday, November 25.
Detectives got their first break in the case when they located surveillance video that showed a man in a white pickup pull up next to Middleton followed by 11 gunshots. The shots were fired into the passenger side and Middleton was struck twice in the head, once in the shoulder and once in the upper arm.
More surveillance videos showed that Middleton and the suspect's vehicles were at Escandalo Sports Bar before the shooting. The victim arrived less than 45 minutes before the shooting. Valles had already been there for about four hours.
Investigators scrolled through about 2,500 images from Flock cameras that eventually helped them trace the vehicle to a Spring Branch apartment complex on Longpoint where Valles lived with his parents and sister.
They interviewed Valles who claimed he was assaulted by two guys inside a bathroom at Escandalo's, according to HPD. He admitted he waited in his truck until he saw Middleton leave. According to court documents, Valles confessed that he followed Middleton and shot him as the victim sat in his car. He said he lost the Glock he used because he was so drunk.
Detectives also interviewed Middleton's friend who confirmed that he and another guy had gotten into a fight in the bathroom but he said Middleton wasn't part of it. He identified a photo of Valles as the man they fought with and said he started the fight and claimed to be a member of Mexican Mafia "EM."
Valles was arrested Monday by HPD SWAT and NW Patrol Division Crime Suppression Team Officers.