Teen accused in Sugar Land jail escape, jailer beating was on parole for murder
One of four teenagers charged in a violent prison escape in Sugar Land earlier this month was on parole for murder, granted by a juvenile court judge.
On Jan. 11, police said Edmound Guillory, 19, and three other teens robbed a CVS at gunpoint before being arrested and taken to the Sugar Land Police Department jail.
Court records show the group then escaped after a brutal attack on a jailer, whose head was stomped on “approximately 6 to 7 times.” The attack left him unconscious, records show, with a broken nose, severe lacerations and multiple deep bite marks.
The four teenagers were recaptured.
Harris County prosecutors told ABC13 they warned Guillory he was dangerous and tried to keep him behind bars.
“In real time, we believed this youth posed a threat to the community,” said John Jordan, executive bureau chief for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. “And it appears that, given his recent criminal behavior, we were right.”
By law, juvenile records are sealed, but because Guillory was charged as an adult, part of his story is now public.
ABC13 has learned “he was convicted” in the shooting death of Anthony Merchant, 59, a father and husband who loved his job as a car salesman. It happened on Swiss Lane in southeast Houston in June 2022. Law enforcement sources say Guillory was one of the shooters. He was only 15 years old.
In 2024, he was arrested and subsequently sentenced to 17 years in prison by Judge Leah Shapiro of the 315th District Court, one of three Harris County Juvenile Court judges. Before Guillory turned 19, the court had to decide whether he would be transferred to an adult prison or released on parole. He was released after serving a small fraction of his sentence.
“There are consequences when you give someone a chance who is a violent offender,” Jordan said.
The Texas Code of Judicial Conduct prevents judges from commenting on cases, so the reason for the decision is unknown.
Steven Halpert, chief of the juvenile division at the Harris County public defender’s office, said judges must weigh many factors and cannot predict future behavior.
“We don’t want judges who automatically transfer children, and we don’t want judges who automatically release a child,” Halpert said. “You want judges who listen to all the facts. They are experienced and make an intelligent decision. But they are not clairvoyant and they cannot predict what a child is going to do.”
After his release, Guillory had to wear a GPS monitor on his ankle. Court records show he received the monitor last August. Three days before the CVS was stolen, records indicate he cut it up and threw it in the bushes in front of his house.
“There are other victims now who shouldn’t necessarily be this way,” Jordan said.
Jordan said diversion programs work for most juveniles, but cases involving extreme violence require a different response.
“It’s an illustration of why we do what we do,” Jordan said. “We deflect and give second chances to those who are worth it. Those who we are afraid of, who can hurt us, frankly, unfortunately, they need to be incarcerated.”
Guillory now faces several criminal charges in Fort Bend County as an adult. His bail was denied.
Guillory’s attorney could not be reached for comment.
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