LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas — A 32-year-old Liberty County man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of capital murder.
What happened
Bass shot the three men with a shotgun inside a detached garage at his house in the Old River area of Liberty County.
They were friends
Investigators found out Bass was friends with the victims and they regularly worked for him at his house. In return for the work, Bass would pay them with drugs and other things. Bass testified that the men were stealing from him.
“The Defendant lured the unsuspecting victims to his property with the promise of beer, food, cigarettes, and drugs. He placed them in a comfortable and familiar environment and brutally murdered men who thought he was their friend. There is real evil in this world and Andrew Jared Bass is proof," Assistant District Attorney Mark Boemio said.
Evidence doesn't add up
Liberty County District Attorney Jennifer Bergman said the evidence didn’t add up.
"He had texted his wife earlier in the day, the day that the murders occurred, that he believed they were stealing from him, for her to not worry that he was one step ahead and for her to watch the cameras," Bergman said.
No evidence of Bass' theft claims was presented at trial.
The investigation revealed Bass brought the men to his home and bought them beer, cigarettes and marijuana and allowed them to party inside his shop. Surveillance video showed Bass racking the shotgun before entering the shop and opening fire.
He fired seven shots into the heads and backs of the victims.
Bass claimed self-defense and said he had to shoot the men because they had "guns blazing" when he caught them stealing weapons and other items from his shop. Investigators said they found no evidence the victims fired any weapons.
Trying to get rid of evidence
After shooting the victims, Bass was seen removing surveillance cameras that he told investigators had been stolen.
The cameras played a big part in the trial.
“You could see him actually taking the cameras down and he told investigators that those were stolen," Bergman said.
Bass did not testify during the trial. The jury took only 20 minutes to deliberate and find him guilty.
Victims' family still hurting
Cecilia Jordan and her family are still coping with the loss of her nephew and his father – Christopher and Odell Wells.
“They were good people. They loved their family," Jordan said. “They didn’t deserve to die.”
Jordan's sister still isn’t able to talk about the loss
"(It's) Too painful. She can’t (talk about it). I don’t know that she ever will," Jordan said. "She lost her husband ... she lost her son above all."