Jury Finds Renfroe Guilty of Murder

SAN ANGELO, Texas – A Tom Green County jury deliberated for two hours Friday before finding Ryan Renfroe guilty of murder in the shooting death of Jakob Jones in a dark alley beside Fat Boss Pub in Downtown San Angelo early New Year's Day 2024.  The week long trial saw jurors hearing testimony from detectives and criminal investigators along with eye witness testimony from individuals involved.  

Defense attorneys attempted to convince the jury that Renfroe was in fear for his life and shot Jones twice at close range, including once in the right eye, in self defense.  Prosecutors painted a picture of a man obsessed with revenge following a road rage incident three days earlier that turned into a Facebook war that eventually led to the brutal murder.  

Retired Senior District Judge Barbara Walther called the jury back into the courtroom at 4:06 p.m. She had Renfroe and his attorneys stand as she read the verdict.  The one sentence from the jury said they found Renfroe guilty of murder as charged.  Walther dismissed the jury at 4:08 p.m. and conferred with attorneys about how they wanted to proceed. 

The punishment phase of the trial resumed immediately with prosecutors and defense attorneys planning to call several witnesses to present evidence about Renfroe's character; what kind of person he was that led him to murder an unarmed man in a dark alley.  

Testimony was expected to continue well into the evening and Friday night.  Court insiders expect the trial to reconvene Saturday morning before the jury reaches a sentence.  Renfroe faces life in prison for the murder.