HOUSTON — Opening arguments began Tuesday in the trial of Brian Coulter.
He’s the man charged with capital murder for allegedly beating his girlfriend’s son to death and leaving his remains inside an apartment where the boy’s siblings were found neglected and abandoned.
In January, Coulter chose to waive his right to a trial by jury and instead have his case heard by a judge in a bench trial.
Coulter is charged with capital murder for the death of 8-year-old Kendrick Lee.
Investigators said Coulter was living with his girlfriend, Gloria Williams, along with Kendrick and his three siblings, who were then 15, 10 and 7, in an apartment in west Harris County.
Coulter is accused of beating Kendrick to death in November of 2020 and leaving his body in a closet for nearly a year.
During that time, Coulter and Williams left the children to go live somewhere else about 25 minutes away -- only having junk food dropped off for the children occasionally, investigators said.
It wasn’t until October of 2021 that the 15-year-old sibling called the police, which led to the discovery of Kendrick’s remains and the arrest of Coulter and Williams.
Williams was charged with injury to a child by omission. Her case also remains ongoing as she awaits trial.