A 53-year-old military veteran has been charged with capital murder after an escalating dispute over an apartment lease culminated in the fatal shooting of two property management workers in west Houston, according to statements presented by prosecutors in court.
Derrick Jackson, who had resided at the residential complex for three years, reportedly told investigators that the confrontation escalated rapidly and caused him to lose control. The deadly incident unfolded inside the management office of the Park at Woodlake community, located at 9545 Ella Lee Lane.
During Wednesday's court proceedings, Harris County prosecutor Simone Colson outlined the circumstances surrounding the attack, identifying the two deceased employees as 67-year-old Rosa Linda Ybarra and 47-year-old Felix Antonio Jimenez-Macz. Both victims were working on-site when the confrontation occurred.
According to statements Jackson gave to Houston police investigators, the conflict began on a Thursday when he visited the complex's office to discuss issues surrounding his rental terms. Jackson claimed he grew irritated during the interaction when one of the staff members began conversing in Spanglish, incorporating a blend of Spanish and English.
The situation reportedly reached a boiling point when Ybarra pushed back against Jackson's complaints. According to the prosecution's summary of Jackson's statements to law enforcement, the leasing agent pointed out his contractual obligations by stating, "Well, you signed the lease - didn't you?"
Investigators reported that this exchange prompted Jackson to open fire inside the office. Jackson first shot and killed Ybarra before turning his attention to Jimenez-Macz. As the second employee attempted to flee the gunfire, Jackson shot him twice. Jackson further admitted to authorities that he proceeded to stab Jimenez-Macz after realizing the gunshot wounds had not immediately killed him.
Security video retrieved from the premises played a crucial role in piecing together the timeline of the attack. Surveillance footage documented a man entering the management facility at approximately 5:30 p.m. and departing around 12 minutes later. Jackson later acknowledged to detectives that he was indeed the individual recorded on the security tapes.
The graphic scene remained undiscovered until another apartment complex tenant walked into the leasing office and located the bodies of Jimenez-Macz and Ybarra, subsequently alerting law enforcement to the double homicide.
The following day, Houston police tracked down and arrested Jackson at an area hotel. Investigators reported that Jackson was still in possession of spent shell casings connected to the fatal shootings at the time he was taken into custody.
During the formal court appearance, multiple relatives of Ybarra were present in the gallery to observe the proceedings, listening as the state detailed the capital murder allegations. The grieving family members ultimately declined to provide public statements following the conclusion of the hearing.
Although the Harris County District Attorney’s Office had initially considered pursuing a hearing to deny Jackson bail entirely, Colson formally requested that bail be set at $1 million. Presiding over the 232nd District Court, Judge Josh Hill approved the request and established bond at the $1 million mark.
The court appearance also addressed a notable discrepancy in the initial paperwork filed by prosecutors. A criminal complaint had incorrectly indicated that Jackson had a prior 1998 drug conviction on his record. Judge Hill noted that Jackson actually possessed no prior criminal record, prompting Colson to clarify that the decades-old conviction belonged to a different individual sharing the same name, a clerical error the prosecution pledged to amend.
Jackson’s defense counsel, Chauntelle Wood White, highlighted her client's extensive military background during the hearing. She noted that Jackson had relocated to the Houston area in 2017 following his formal retirement from the United States military.
Federal service records indicate that Jackson compiled a 24-year military career, serving across both active-duty Army and U.S. Army Reserves roles between 1993 and 2017. Working as an infantryman and aviation operations specialist, Jackson achieved the rank of sergeant first class and completed multiple combat deployments, including one tour in Iraq in 2008 and two subsequent deployments to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.
Despite the confession and the detailed timeline established by law enforcement, the specific nature of the lease disagreement that ignited the fatal confrontation has not been disclosed. Colson acknowledged in court that authorities have not yet determined the exact contractual grievances that triggered the deadly violence.
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