Road rage or motorcycle gang violence? Former Pct. 4 deputy charged with murder appears in court

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Was it road rage or motorcycle gang violence? That's the question investigators are asking after a former Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable was arrested for murder.

The murder happened last month, but over the weekend, 36-year-old Aaron Grant was in probable cause court where the allegations against him were read.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Motorcyclist found dead in possible road rage after telling friends he was being followed: HCSO

Court records show that on Jan. 27, Jesse Metzger was on his motorcycle riding along the North Freeway.

Additionally, a white SUV and a black SUV pulled out of the parking lot of Bombshells on the North Freeway, according to a prosecutor. As the two vehicles traveled down the feeder, the white SUV, which Grant is said to have been in, allegedly pulled up beside a motorcycle rider.

People in the black SUV reported hearing a gunshot and continued onto the freeway. The white SUV continued on as well.

The white SUV allegedly eventually pulled over, and that's when Grant and one other person got out of the vehicle and went into the black SUV.

The prosecutor said Grant then asked the original occupants of the black SUV if they had seen what happened. Grant then allegedly said, "He belongs to the other club. They do that often."

Investigators said Grant is the one who fired a shot at Metzger. The bullet hit his arm and entered his body cavity. Authorities said he died soon after.

When an investigation was first getting underway, Sgt. Greg Pinkins said, "When he left the restaurant, shortly after leaving the restaurant, he contacted his friends and said he was being followed by a white Jeep Cherokee."

After further investigation, that turns out to be untrue.

In court on Tuesday, it was revealed that the individual who shot Metzger drove to the Home Depot parking lot and called Metzger's friends. One of those friends then called 911 after finding the victim in the parking lot.

Initially it appeared this might have been an act of road rage, but in court, ABC13 learned both the victim and the suspect are members of motorcycle clubs.

It is unclear if that played a role in the murder, but court officials were worried that it is a possibility. In court it was also revealed that Metzger belonged to the Bandidos motorcycle club.

"It's also concerning that if this is just over what kind of bikes people ride, or club they belong to, or persona they adopt as part of a motorcycle club, these are very superficial reasons to involve yourself in violence, much less murder," a court official said.

The victim is a father of three with another on the way. Grant, a former Precinct 4 deputy constable, was given a $200,000 bond.

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) records show Grant was a Precinct 4 deputy constable from 2018 to 2020. Prior to that, he worked as a jailer in Montgomery County. Grant's current wife told ABC13 over the phone that Grant left Precinct 4 in 2020 to pursue other careers.

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