Houston Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Two Murders

A Houston man who fatally shot a woman in 2017 and then was charged with a second murder in 2020 was sentenced late Tuesday to life in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This defendant was involved in two separate fatal shootings, including one where he grievously injured two women out on a ‘girls’ night’ with their friend,” Ogg said. “In the second shooting, he opened fire at a gas station in broad daylight and could have killed even more people. The consequences for that kind of rampant gun violence has to be a life sentence.”

Gerald Dewayne Washington, 30, was convicted of murder by a Harris County jury on Monday, the seventh day of trial, for the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Crystal Turner. On Tuesday, the eighth day of trial, Washington was sentenced by state District Judge Ramona Franklin to life in prison.

In the first case, Washington got into the backseat of Turner’s car to go to an after-hours club along with Turner and two of her friends on October 22, 2017. Almost immediately, Washington opened fire, injuring two of the women and killing Turner. Both survivors testified that they continue to suffer from their injuries. One woman still has seizures from being shot in the head. The other cannot pick up her children because of injuries to her arm.

Washington was arrested in that case and was released on bond while awaiting trial.

While free on bond, he drove to a convenience store on Scott Street in south Houston about 4 p.m. on February 9, 2020. At the store, Washington bought a few items and can be seen on surveillance video sitting in his car in the parking lot, appearing to wait for someone.

Minutes later, when 29-year-old Reginald “Duke” Larry arrived, Washington got out of his car and opened the door of the store for Larry, but did not go in. On surveillance video, the two men do not appear to know each other.

Washington then got back into his distinctive red Dodge Durango and circled the block before returning to the gas station to see Larry getting back in his car. At that point, Washington opened fire, shooting Larry in the head. Larry died from his injuries at the hospital days later. It remains unclear why Washington killed Larry.

Assistant District Attorney Keegan Childers and ADA Sarah Dimas prosecuted the case.

“This defendant was already facing a life sentence for murder when he picked up a second murder,” Childers said. “If the possibility of getting a life sentence didn’t deter him at all, nothing will—he would have continued to commit violent crimes.”