Harris County detention officer arrested on the job on capital murder charge, records show

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A Harris County detention officer has been relieved of duty after his arrest at work Thursday on a capital murder charge.

Jarrell Tavon Wheeler, 21, is charged with capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for his alleged role in a "set-up" to rob and kill Otis Keith Parker in May.

Parker was shot to death on May 18.

Houston police are seeking three others in connection to the murder. Jamal Ray Brown, Quitiana Rene Taylor, and Mariah Corinthian Green have warrants for their arrests.

Records show that Wheeler was arrested during his shift at the Harris County Jail at 1200 Baker Street on Thursday. He waived his appearance in probable cause court that evening.

According to court records, the murder resulted from a set-up to rob Parker of at least $1,500 in cash.

It happened at the Villa Americana apartment complex on Selinsky in southeast Houston.

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Parker was driving Taylor and another woman home from Baton Rouge with cash the women made from dancing, records state.

There was planning and a flurry of text messages about when they might arrive and how the plan would be carried out.

The messages from Wheeler were sent while he was working at the jail. Records say Wheeler texted one of the accomplices asking if "He got a tool?" He also texted, "Cuz I'm taking everything from everybody."

Court documents say Wheeler left the jail early to be at the apartment complex for the alleged ambush. Brown was the triggerman and the two women fled after the shooting, police say.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office told ABC13 it is "aware of the arrest of Jarrell Tavon Wheeler, who has been relieved of duty. Wheeler was hired as a detention officer on December 6, 2021. We are in full cooperation with the ongoing investigation."

The bond for Wheeler is a total of $350,000. He remained in jail Friday night.

Houston police are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brown, Taylor, and Green to contact HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers.

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