Houston Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Fatally Shooting Girlfriend’s Brother During Argument

Kempsha L. Wilson, 28, was sentenced to life in prison by a Harris County jury for the murder of 32-year-old Spencer Nichols on February 15, 2022, announced District Attorney Kim Ogg.

The tragic incident unfolded during a heated argument between Wilson and his girlfriend at their southwest Houston apartment. Testimony revealed that Wilson choked and beat his girlfriend, leading her to eject him from the residence. The argument escalated when she fired a shot to emphasize her demand for him to leave.

Following the altercation, she texted her brother, Nichols, for assistance. Nichols arrived and managed to persuade Wilson to leave. Concerned for their safety, Nichols took his sister and her two young daughters to his home for the night.

The next day, they returned to the apartment to change clothes, accompanied by Nichols’ three children. Wilson, armed with a handgun and accompanied by at least two others, confronted them. In an act of self-defense, the woman pulled her pistol, but Wilson disarmed her.

With a pistol in each hand, Wilson confronted Nichols in front of the apartment, pistol-whipping him before fatally shooting him in the chest. The incident unfolded in front of Nichols’ three children, after which Wilson and his associates fled the scene.

Wilson was arrested nine days later, and detectives from the Homicide Division of the Houston Police Department charged him. Assistant District Attorneys Jason Campo and Gabriel Kabak prosecuted the case, emphasizing Wilson’s criminal history, which included three prior prison terms.

Campo highlighted Nichols’ tragic fate, stating, “The victim was just trying to be a good big brother by defending his sister, and it cost him his life.” The jury, considering Wilson’s previous chances and ongoing harm to others, determined that a life sentence was warranted.

District Attorney Kim Ogg commented on the broader issue of domestic violence, stating, “Domestic violence doesn’t just affect the person who is being abused, it affects the entire family.” She emphasized the case’s illustration of how domestic violence can escalate to lethal outcomes, leading to the loss of a family member’s life.