Houston man pleads guilty to murdering 19-year-old with special needs in Harris County Jail

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A Houston man pleaded guilty Tuesday to beating and stabbing a 19-year-old with an intellectual disability to death in the Harris County Jail in 2021.

At 98 pounds, Fred Harris was booked into jail on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge after he allegedly “exhibited” a knife. No one was injured in the incident. He had no prior arrests, and according to his family’s attorney, he “graduated from Stafford High School without any disciplinary issues.”

Harris was placed in a cell with Michael Ownby, a repeat violent offender more than twice his size. Ownby had attacked another inmate that same day and a guard days prior.

“My family’s been ripped apart,” Harris’ mother, Dallas Garcia, said.

Tuesday, Ownby was sentenced to 50 years in prison and will be eligible for parole in about two decades.

“I’m just so very upset. I feel blind-sighted,” Garcia said.

Garcia told ABC13 she wanted the trial to play out. She has also filed a federal lawsuit against Harris County, alleging that overcrowding in the jail contributed to her son’s death.

“If they had done their jobs, Ownby wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do what he did – to murder my son,” she said.

Garcia is currently in a federal legal battle to make videos of her son’s death and conditions she says contributed to public.

In 2022, her attorney, Randall Kallinen, told that Harris was placed with Ownby “due to understaffing and for convenience.”

Garcia had hoped a criminal trial would have forced more information, including videos, into the open.

“I want (the public) to know exactly what went on. I want them to see how evil took place,” she said.