(FORT BEND COUNTY) – A Houston man has been convicted of murder by a Fort Bend County jury and sentenced to 50 years in prison after the murder of his girlfriend in a Sugar Land hotel parking lot. Sheldon Wilfred Vashawn Magee, 48, was charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend in 2019.
According to Chief Domestic Violence Prosecutor Sunni Mitchell, the manager of a Sugar Land hotel called 911 on August 11, 2019 after being notified by a hotel guest about a man that had a woman by her shirt who was crying and struggling to get away in the parking lot. The hotel manager testified she went outside to find the woman, later identified as Kiva Herrera, sitting on the ground with her hands together as if in prayer.
The hotel manager asked if everything was okay and Magee said they were having a “misunderstanding.” The hotel manager said the woman looked terrified, so the manager backed away and called the police. Two eyewitnesses also observed the defendant holding the woman by the shirt while holding a pistol. Both testified that they saw Magee point the gun at his victim and shoot her, then casually walk away as if nothing happened.
As police arrived on the scene, a shot rang out and the manager told dispatchers that the man had a gun. Sugar Land Officer Dixon saw Magee pointing a gun at him and shots were exchanged before the defendant ran around the corner of the hotel. There officers observed the defendant laying catatonic in the grass where he was detained. As Magee was brought to the patrol vehicle, he broke away from the officers and jumped into a lake next to the hotel. The defendant was quickly apprehended.
The jury also heard testimony that Magee and his victim had been in a dating relationship until the woman ended their relationship just days prior. The victim did not return to the couple’s shared apartment, and once the defendant found the victim’s vehicle at a hotel, he stalked her for days leading up to her murder.
“Kiva Herrera was a courageous woman who walked away from an abusive relationship. The defendant stalked and terrorized Ms. Herrera as she tried to begin a life without him and he ultimately murdered the woman he claimed to love,” said Mitchell. “The jury’s verdict ensures that Sheldon Magee will never be able to harm someone else while also sending a clear message that domestic violence will not be tolerated in this community.”
Evidence revealed the details of one of the last text messages that the victim sent to the defendant. The text message read: “God has revealed so much to me. He has also strengthened me! Strengthened me to know my worth! Strengthened me to walk away and never return to an abusive person such as yourself. You a 45 year old man and your choice in life is to now stalk me. Where do you think that will end up for you? I’m taking every steps with the law legally to protect myself and eventually justice will be served.”
District Attorney Brian Middleton commented, “Too often domestic abuse ends in senseless tragedy. We honored the victim’s request and held Sheldon Magee accountable for his depraved, heartless, selfish actions. The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to ending domestic violence and will continue to hold perpetrators accountable.”
The case was tried in the 434th District Court before Presiding Judge J. Christian Becerra. Murder is a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years, or life, in prison and a fine up to $10,000. Magee was not eligible for probation and must serve at least half of his sentence before being considered for parole. Assistant District Attorneys Sunni Mitchell and Lauren Valenti tried the case.
Fort Bend County has resources to support victims and survivors of domestic violence. The number to the Fort Bend County Women’s Center Crisis Hotline is (281) 342-HELP (4357) and the toll-free number to the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. If you or somebody you know is a victim of domestic violence, they are not alone and they do not need to suffer in silence.
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