Houston man sentenced to 99 years for murder committed nearly 5 years ago

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 23-year-old man was sentenced to 99 years for his role in the 2019 murder of a 19-year-old, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg's office.

Authorities said Treveon Mykel Tatum was free on bail for a 2019 murder when, three years later, he was involved in a fatal ambush of two men.

Tatum was convicted in the Oct. 26, 2019, murder of 19-year-old Ondreus Patterson. Authorities say Tatum drove to Patterson's house for a prearranged meeting. When Patterson went out to talk, Tatum got out of his car and began shooting. It was all caught on camera.

Days later, Tatum was arrested by the Harris County Sheriff's Office for Patterson's death and was later released on a $50,000 bond with an ankle monitor.

More than two years later, while Tatum was still on bond, on the night of Feb. 8, 2022, two men were lured to an apartment complex off Ella in northwest Houston. When the victims arrived, Tatum and three other men were sitting in a parked car, waiting for them.

During the ambush, Tatum can be seen on video running and firing an assault rifle, prosecutors say. John Kelly, 20, died as a result of the violent attack.

According to the DA's office, investigators pieced together what happened and charged all three men in the vehicle with felony murder in the death of the fourth man. The other two men are awaiting trial.

After convicting Tatum of murder for killing Patterson, jurors saw his actions on surveillance video during the second murder and chose to sentence him to 99 years in prison.

It was also revealed that evidence showed Tatum was the mastermind for the 2022 ambush while free on bond for Patterson's murder.

Tatum will serve at least 30 years in prison before he can be eligible for parole.