SAN ANGELO, TX – Testimony began Tuesday morning in the highly anticipated murder trial of Ryan Renfroe, accused of fatally shooting 23-year-old Jakob Jones outside Fat Boss Pub, 114 S. Chadbourne St., in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2024. Renfroe appeared in the 51st District Court before retired Senior District Judge Barbara Walther.
Renfroe faces a charge of murder in connection with what prosecutors described as a deadly culmination of three days of escalating threats exchanged through Facebook Messenger. The conflict reportedly began after a minor road rage incident on Main Street, where Jones allegedly pulled out in front of Renfroe’s vehicle from an Allsup’s parking lot.
Prosecutors painted Renfroe as a man consumed by anger over the perceived slight, likening the sequence of events to a plotline from the psychological thriller Unhinged. According to evidence presented, Renfroe tracked Jones down on social media after seeing his name on a booking report for a speeding arrest the same night as their initial encounter. Renfroe allegedly initiated a string of harassing messages that escalated to violent threats over the weekend.
Details of the Shooting
San Angelo Police Officer Jonathan Montana, the first responder to the scene, testified that he found Jones’ lifeless body in an alley behind the bar, near Renfroe’s parked pickup. Montana noted there were no weapons found on Jones. Prosecutors presented body camera footage showing Jones lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to his right eye.
Cody Chambers, the driver of the pickup in which Jones had been a passenger earlier that night, called 9-1-1 shortly after the shooting. In a recording played for jurors, Chambers frantically told dispatchers, "We left! We didn’t want to get shot!"
Prosecutors also introduced surveillance footage from Chadbourne Tavern across the street and First United Methodist Church, located behind the bar. The church’s high-definition video, which included audio, captured two gunshots fired approximately 2.5 seconds apart. The chilling audio prompted audible gasps in the courtroom, with at least one attendee leaving in tears.
Renfroe's Defense
In his interview with detectives, Renfroe claimed self-defense, stating he feared for his life. He alleged that Jones and two others arrived in a pickup and confronted him near his truck. According to Renfroe, Jones attempted to strike him while he was still seated in his vehicle. Renfroe admitted to firing his pistol, striking Jones once in what he believed was the abdomen. He stated that the pair then wrestled for control of the gun, during which he fired a second, fatal shot to Jones’ eye.
However, testimony later revealed that Jones sustained only one wound— to his eye—contradicting Renfroe’s claim of an earlier abdominal shot.
Renfroe also told investigators that Jones and his companions had harassed him over Facebook, challenging him to a fight in Grape Creek. While Renfroe admitted to making heated comments online, he insisted, “I’ll talk all kinds of BS on Facebook. Sure, I was mad, but I was never looking to kill anybody.”
Prosecutors challenged Renfroe’s credibility, citing a statement from bartender Stephanie McCain, who testified that Renfroe had previously mentioned flashing a gun during the initial road rage incident and made a chilling remark: “I’ll kill someone.” McCain, who broke down in tears during her testimony, described looking out the bar’s back door after hearing gunshots and seeing Jones’ body on the ground.
The Road Ahead
San Angelo Police Detective Charles Barker took the stand for much of the day, detailing Renfroe’s hours-long interrogation and the evidence gathered. Barker highlighted discrepancies in Renfroe’s account and provided expert analysis of the term “air out,” which Renfroe used during the Facebook exchanges. While Renfroe claimed the phrase referred to deflating tires, Barker testified that it is commonly understood to mean shooting someone.
As the first day of testimony concluded, jurors had witnessed a wealth of evidence, from 9-1-1 recordings to graphic crime scene footage. Prosecutors are expected to continue presenting their case Wednesday, with additional witnesses anticipated to shed further light on the events leading up to the fatal encounter.
If convicted, Renfroe faces significant prison time for the murder of Jakob Jones. The trial continues tomorrow, Nov. 20, in the 51st District Court at the Tom Green County Courthouse.
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