Man accused of murdering 23-year-old ex-girlfriend has history of abusing her

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man wanted for allegedly murdering his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend has been arrested, according to police.

On Jan. 17, police responded to an apartment complex on Dunvale Street where Jaynice Ferguson was found with a gunshot wound in her thigh. She later died at the hospital.

According to court records, in her final moments in the back of an ambulance, she told an officer that her ex-boyfriend had shot her.

Algie Mac Washington, 45, was later charged with murder.

Police announced they were looking for Ferguson on Tuesday, offering up to a $5,000 reward.

On Wednesday morning, a week after the shooting, Houston police said they developed information on Washington's whereabouts, and officers from the HPD Crime Reduction Unit and SWAT tracked him down at an apartment complex in the 2500 block of Winrock Street.

Washington was taken into custody and transported to the Harris County Jail.

According to records, Washington has a lengthy criminal history of domestic abuse against Ferguson. He has been convicted of four felonies in the past for abusing Ferguson, including:

• Aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury

• Assault of a family member with a previous conviction

• Assault impeding breath

• Continuous violence against family

Most recently, in March 2023, Washington was sentenced to one year behind bars for assaulting Ferguson. According to court records, Ferguson wouldn't give over her phone, so Washington punched her in the face, choked her, picked up a kitchen knife and scissors, and said she wasn't going to leave.

Records show that in one instance, family members told police that Washington showed up at their home and told them, "If I can't have her, then nobody can."

Ferguson's current boyfriend, who she lived with, said Washington also showed up to their apartment once, demanding to speak to her. She also suspected Washington had slashed her tires in two separate instances, but she was never able to prove it, according to court documents.

ABC13 spoke to Ferguson's family, and her sister said while they are relieved Washington is behind bars, they feel police never took her concerns seriously after years of reporting his abuse and trying to break free. According to her sister, Ferguson called the police many times, even after his release.

Washington's bond was set at $1 million.

If he posts bond, he will be on 24-hour house arrest with a GPS monitoring device and is not allowed to contact Ferguson's family.

Maisha Colter, CEO of AVDA (Aids to Victims of Domestic Abuse), spoke to ABC13 about the risks of homicides in domestic violence situations.

"If there is easy access to guns, a pattern where choking or strangulation has been used as a form of physical abuse, if there is stalking, then those are things that show up multiple times when a person has succumbed to a homicide at the hands of an intimate partner," Colter said.

ABC13 asked Colter what has to happen for authorities to take action before a victim is killed or seriously hurt.

"Certainly, there are things within the law that allow police officers to make an arrest, especially if someone has a history of domestic abuse," Colter said. "Then, of course, consequences. Even if a person gets arrested, charged, and even convicted, if the consequence isn't enough to hold them accountable, then you have the same problem. That's what we need to be concerned about- what kind of consequences are we really giving, and are there any interventions that work to change that behavior?"

Colton urges families and victims to never give up and keep being persistent.

"Hold the system accountable as best you can," Colton said. "There are all kinds of organizations that are real resources, and sometimes people don't know what is out there. We provide free legal representation to get protective orders and get people away from their abusive partners, and a lot of people don't know we are here."

AVDA has a list of resources on its website.

The Houston Area Women's Center also has a 24-hour hotline at (713)-528-2121

If you would like to help with Ferguson's funeral arrangements, the family is accepting donations.

For updates on this story, follow Brooke Taylor on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.