Jury sentences man convicted of killing fiancée in 2020, to life in prison
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man convicted of shooting his fiancée to death just three days after proposing to her was sentenced to life in prison.
Kendrick Akins, 42, was convicted of murder on Oct. 21 and when the verdict was read, officials say he passed out and had a seizure in the courtroom. In response, the judge postponed the punishment phase.
On Wednesday, the Harris County jury resumed court and sentenced Akins to life in prison.
"This man was an abuser with a string of domestic violence crimes that continued to escalate until he killed a woman," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. "Unfortunately, Dominic Jefferson lost her life because he lost his temper."
The video featured above is from the previous report.
Officials say Akins and 33-year-old Jefferson got into an argument at their apartment in the 5500 block of Holly View Drive in northwest Houston on Jan. 4, 2020.
They say Akins had proposed to Jefferson over New Year's Day and just three days later, they got into an argument and she called the engagement off.
When she and a friend tried to leave, Jefferson's car would not start. Officials say Akins was trying to fix the car when Jefferson shouted at him to leave the car and her alone.
As the argument continued, officials say Akins pulled a gun out of his pocket and shot Jefferson in the chest from a few feet away.
Authorities say he took his fiancée's phone and fled.
Jurors said Akins had a history of committing crimes and believe this is not the first time he attempted to kill someone.
They say they heard that Akins told people he put a loaded shotgun to a woman's head while she was asleep and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not go off.
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