A Houston man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after an Orange County jury found him guilty of murder in connection with the May 2025 shooting death of Charles “Pookie” Declouet.
Robert Deandre Bill, 22, of Houston, was convicted of murder by a jury on Aug. 20, 2026. The jury sentenced Bill to life confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division.
The case stems from a May 26, 2025, shooting at a residence in the 2000 block of Sixth Street in Orange. At approximately 9:48 p.m., the Orange Police Department received a 911 call reporting a shooting at the residence.
When officers arrived, they found Declouet on a couch in the living room suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported by helicopter to St. Elizabeth Hospital, where he later died.
Investigators initially determined that Declouet was the victim of a drive-by shooting.
Detectives reviewed security footage from the area and located video showing a vehicle on the roadway at the time four shots were fired into the residence. Additional surveillance footage showed the same vehicle, as well as two videos capturing the occupants inside.
Through the investigation, police identified James Williams Jr. as the driver of the vehicle and determined Bill was the backseat passenger who fired the shots into the home.
Investigators later learned Williams had a grudge against the homeowner. Declouet was not the intended target of the shooting but was an innocent visitor at the residence.
Williams was previously sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in the murder. His sentencing took place May 28.
The Orange Police Department credited the department’s detectives and investigators for their swift response and thorough work in solving the case and bringing those responsible to justice for Declouet.
The case was tried by Asst. District Attorney Katey McCall and D.A. Krispen Winfree. 128th District Judge Courtney Arkeen presided over the trial.
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