06:26 PM CDT on Monday, June 26, 2006

By Jeremy Desel / 11 News

Jeremy Desel's 11 News at 5 report | Raw video of outburst in court | HPD chief on crime spree | Homicide Division captain details charges

There was an emotional outburst from the family of a murder victim inside a downtown courtroom Monday.

KHOU - TV

While in court, Sally Aparece's uncle tries to jump man accused of killing his niece.

The dramatic outburst happened as one of the suspects made his first court appearance.

Police believe the violent suspects are responsible for a string of other crimes, including murders.

It was tense from the beginning.  The 9 a.m. hearing did not begin until after 9:30 a.m.  About 20 friends and family of the suspects sat in the middle of the courtroom, surrounded by close to 50 friends and family of the victims -- all waiting

There was a guard at every door or the courtroom, which couldn’t hold everyone.

Dexter Darnell Johnson listened to the probable cause for his arrest on four capital murder charges. 

According to prosecutors, Johnson and others carjacked Huy Ngo and Sally Aparece.  They said Aparece was sexually assaulted and both victims were led to an empty field where they were shot to death.

It was too much for Ervin Aparece, Sally’s uncle.  He ran from the back of the courtroom and jumped the court rail trying to get to Johnson, but was caught in mid-air by a court employee and subdued by bailiffs.

“He came in from Illinois Saturday night, and I think he, this is the first time he heard what they did to her,” Angelina Aparece-Anduyan, an aunt, said. “It was just too much for him."

“It’s very hard to see the faces and imagine what they did to them,” Aparece-Anduyan said.

Judge Denise Collins docket was still full, as she cleared Aparece’s stunned family from the courtroom.

Irvin Aparece was released about an hour later.

Five suspects appeared in court, all connected to four murders.

Johnson is accused of shooting three victims and ordering the shooting of another with the simple words “waste him.”

Keithron Fields allegedly followed that order and walked Ngo and Aparece into the field where they were killed.

Ashley Ervin, 17, is accused of driving a getaway car. 

Timothy Randall, 19, and 22-year-old Alvie Butler are both believed to be accomplices.

There are a total of 15 capital murder counts connected to three incidents -- all carjacking, kidnapping and murders.

Police think there are many more crimes.

“These suspects are believed to be responsible for at least 15 other aggravated robberies, two kidnappings and the shootings of at least two other victims,” said Chief Harold Hurtt, HPD.

Detectives said none of the suspects showed any remorse and all but Fields have confessed.

“They are just mean people.  That is all there was to it,” said HPD Officer Alan Brown.  “None of these people that were abducted and killed in their own vehicles were ever offered an opportunity, based on what we know, to walk.”

Sally Aparece’s family only saw Johnson.  That was enough.

There is certainly the possibility of other charges for all of those accused, but charges are unlikely.

Capital murder carries the possibility of the death penalty.

Police said they are still aggressively pursuing other possible connections to other violent incidents all over the city.

Multiple charges

Johnson was charged Saturday with the capital murders of Aparece and Huy Ngo. He faces four capital murder charges and was allegedly the shooter in three of the incidents, including the shooting of former teacher Brady Davis.

HPD Officer Alan Brown said Johnson provided officials with enough evidence to issue probable cause arrest warrants for other suspects.

"Timothy Randall provided us, advised us that he would show us where the bodies of Ms. Aparece and Mr. Ngo were located," Officer Brown said.

Ashley Ervin, 17, also faces two counts of capital murder for allegedly often driving a stolen getaway car.

Timothy Randle also faces capital murder charges for being in the vehicle with Ervin. Police said it was a chase vehicle.

Also charged in the Ngo-Aparece case is 17-year-old Keithron Fields, who turned himself in Saturday. He is accused of being with Johnson and walking the victims into the field and also shooting Jose Lopez.

Alvie Butler, 22, has been charged in a separate kidnapping and murder that happened last Wednesday.

Police said all of the suspects except Fields have confessed to all of the crimes.

Courtesy

Huy Ngo and Sally Aparece

"These suspects are believed to be responsible for 15 other aggravated robberies, two kidnappings and the shootings of at least two other victims," HPD Chief Harold Hurtt said.

Police said the group was based around two primary suspects, Johnson and Fields, who were childhood friends that grew up close to the 6200 block of Guadelupe.

Ervin is Fields' girlfriend, police said, and is the connection to Randle and Butler.

According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Johnson fatally shot 23-year-old Aparece during a June 18 robbery and kidnapping.

Police said it was their understanding that Ngo and Aparece were random victims.

"Once they took this Toyota from Mr. Ngo and Ms. Aparece, they continued to use that vehicle nightly to commit robberies and abductions," Officer Brown said.

Butler was not present during the incident with Ngo and Aparece, HPD said.

Davis, 61, was shot and killed at a car wash May 26 where he was washing his barbecue grill for a weekend event. It happened in the 11000 block of Homestead. Davis was a teacher in the Houston and North Forest Independent School Districts for 25 years.

Johnson has been charged with aggravated robbery of Vincent Luong as well.

Officials said they are still looking for a sixth suspect.

Funeral arrangements

A viewing for Aparece will be held Monday night at the Settegast-Koph Funeral Home in Sugar Land.

Her funeral has been scheduled for Wednesday at the Notre Dame Catholic Church in Alief.

No arrangements have been made yet for Ngo.

The two bodies were discovered in a northeast Houston field Friday near Deutser and Gateway.