North Shore HS student makes first court appearance

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 17-year-old girl charged with capital murder had her first court appearance in connection with a fatal shooting at a movie theater on New Year's Day.

Faith DeLeon, a student at North Shore High School, is facing capital murder charges in connection with the death of Daniel Gerding during an attempted robbery gone wrong behind the Studio Movie Grill in northwest Harris County.

According to court documents, DeLeon was at a party with Christopher Rodriguez on the night of the shooting. DeLeon said Rodriguez asked her to set up drug dealers she knew that would be robbed under the guise of a drug purchase.

DeLeon set up the meeting with two men, identified by authorities as Daniel Gerding and Colyn Timmons, who met her and Rodriguez in the Studio Movie Grill parking lot later that evening.

Authorities identified DeLeon using cell phone records of the call allegedly used to set up the meeting.

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Outside of the theater, the four got into a Toyota Camry to complete the deal. DeLeon said Gerding pulled out one gram of marijuana, and she asked him where the rest of the agreed upon drugs were.

Rodriguez allegedly pulled out a gun, grabbed Gerding by the shirt and threatened him. Gerding then tried to exit the vehicle, but DeLeon said Rodriguez shot him twice in the back before he was able to escape.

DeLeon told police that Rodriguez then shot Timmons in the face before she and Rodriguez exited the vehicle and ran back to their truck.

Rodriguez then allegedly threatened DeLeon and told her to "forget this ever happened."

Gerding was pronounced dead at Cy Fair Medical Center, and Timmons was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in stable condition.

Authorities identified Rodriguez by matching shell casings found at the scene of the murder with those collected from an aggravated assault investigation in Jersey Village.

Timmons then positively identified a photograph of Rodriguez.

DeLeon said she knew Rodriguez had planned to rob Gerding and Timmons, but she did not know that Rodriguez was armed.

A witness, however, placed DeLeon at the scene of the alleged aggravated assault in Jersey Village. Police say Rodriguez shot another victim, giving investigators cause to believe that DeLeon knew Rodriguez was armed.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Two teens shot outside NW Harris Co. movie theater

Two people were shot outside a movie theater in northwest Harris County on Sunday night, police say.

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