Murder Trial for Fat Boss Pub Alleyway Shooting Begins

SAN ANGELO, TX— The jury trial for the man who allegedly shot and killed Jakob Jones on New Year’s Day outside of a Downtown bar is underway. The trial is expected to continue through the remainder of the week of Nov. 18, 2024. It will be held in the 51st District Court.

Ryan Joaquin Renfroe, 34, is currently on trial for Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

According to court documents, on January 1, 2024, an investigator was called to the alleyway directly north of Fat Boss Pub at 114 South Chadbourne Street. San Angelo dispatch advised that there was one male who was deceased on-scene and another male, Renfroe, was detained.

Upon arrival, the investigator observed the deceased victim, identified as Jones, on the ground in the alleyway with visible trauma to his frontal face area that was believed to be the result of being shot with a firearm.

The victim was a few feet away from Renfroe’s truck with a pool of blood near his head. Two spent 9m handgun cartridges were found on the ground near Jones as well.

An officer said that Renfroe surrendered on scene, and they found a handgun in plain view Renfroe’s truck.

Investigators spoke with Renfroe’s wife who was working at Fat Boss Pub. She said that Renfroe was supposed to pick her up after work. After, she heard two sounds outside that sounded like balloons popping when a security member for Fat Boss Pub came in and told her that her husband had just shot someone.

Renfroe’s wife went outside, saw Jones lying on the ground and attempted to perform life-saving measures on him but he was not breathing and had no pulse. She did say that Renfroe does own a 9mm handgun.

Investigators then spoke with the victim’s best friend who told him about a road rage incident a few days prior that spilled over onto social media. Both Renfroe and Jones agreed to meet up near Fat Boss Pub to settle the dispute. The victim told his best friend that it was going to be a physical fight. The victim took his best friend and two other friends to the alleyway and, when they arrived, the victim got out of the truck while his friends remained in the vehicle. The best friend heard two gunshots and then they left the area to call the police.

Security with Fat Boss Pub was interviewed where the security member said he was taking out the trash and saw Renfroe sitting in his pickup. The security member got into his own vehicle and while sitting there, he saw the victim’s truck pull up beside Renfroe’s truck. Then, the security member heard two gunshots and saw the victim lying on the ground and Renfroe standing near the victim. After the gunshots, the security member drove out of the alleyway and parked on Chadbourne Street in front of Fat Boss Pub then went inside to tell the pub’s staff what had happened.

Renfroe was interviewed and agreed to waive his Miranda Warning. Renfroe said that he and the victim were involved in a road rage incident a few days prior to the shooting that continued on social media. He said that they were going to meet in the alleyway and that he and the victim were going to mutually fight each other.

Renfroe was at the location when the victim pulled up next to his vehicle. Renfroe then said that three individuals got out of the vehicle and before he exited the truck, retrieved a 9mm handgun from the glove box. Then, Renfroe said all three men approached his truck and he heard the slide from a gun being pushed forward.

Renfroe then said the victim began assaulting him but he pushed him back. Then Renfroe said the victim reached into his waistband area and said, “The next one’s a blade b****”. After the victim took two steps towards him, Renfroe shot the victim in the abdomen. The victim lunged at him a second time and then Renfroe fired again, after which the victim fell to the ground.

After the shooting, Renfroe said he called the police to report what had happened. He also told the investigator that he was going to engage in mutual combat and fight the victim one-on-one. He also said he never saw the other two men with a handgun or the victim with a knife.

The investigator did not observe any visible injuries on Renfroe.

Security camera footage from the First Methodist Church, located at 37 East Beauregard, which had audio and visual recordings. The investigator watched the victim’s pickup drive south on Chadbourne from Beauregard Avenue and enter the alleyway directly north of Fat Boss Pub. Then, he heard a car door shut at 2:57:22, yelling at 2:57:24, the first loud bang at 2:57:26, a second loud bang at 2:57:29, more yelling at 2:57:33, then saw the victim’s truck leave the alley and travel north in front of the church at 2:57:34.

Renfroe was arrested and charged with Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon on January 1, 2024, and has been an inmate in the Tom Green County jail since.