Woman Sentenced to 35 Years in Deadly Texas City Bar Stabbing

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas — A Galveston County jury has sentenced a Hitchcock woman to decades in prison for a fatal stabbing during a 2024 bar fight, according to the Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

37-year-old Shinyce IJ Felder was sentenced April 27, 2026, to 35 years for murder and eight years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The sentences will run concurrently.

The charges stem from an August 2024 incident at Time Out #5 in Texas City. Officers with the Texas City Police Department responded to a disturbance and found an unresponsive woman being carried from the bar.

The victim, identified as Brittany Richard, was transported to HCA Mainland Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A second victim, Shametria “Tootie” Richard, was taken to UTMB Galveston with multiple stab wounds and survived.

Prosecutors presented surveillance footage from inside the bar showing the altercation. According to testimony, Felder stepped back from a group, pulled a knife from her shirt and stabbed Brittany Richard nine times and Shametria Richard three times.

Witnesses told jurors the victims and their group had been celebrating prior to the incident. Prosecutors argued the video evidence contradicted claims that Felder acted in self-defense.

The trial began April 6, with Chief Violence Against Women Prosecutor Kate Willis and Assistant District Attorney Samantha Fonseca leading the case.

Jurors deliberated for less than an hour after a recess and returned guilty verdicts on both charges. During sentencing, prosecutors argued for a lengthy prison term, citing the number of stab wounds and the use of a deadly weapon.

The jury ultimately sentenced Felder to 35 years for the murder conviction and eight years for aggravated assault.

Officials credited investigators and responding officers for their work in building the case.