KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 21, 2020
By Katy Magazine Editors
Last week, a young mom was shot and killed at a Katy-area apartment complex. New information reveals her killer was out on a personal recognizance bond. In Harris County, suspects released on PR bonds have now resulted in 39 deaths in less than two years.
Mom Killed by Felon Out on Bond
Kimberly Robinson, 28, was shot and killed in the early hours of July 17 in her home at the Paramount Apartments at the 1800 block of Barker Cypress in Houston. Authorities reported she was in bed with her 4-year-old daughter at the time. The little girl was shot twice but recovered. At the time of the shooting there were five children in the apartment, and a 10-year-old called for relatives and help.
Cedgadrick Ardarius Harris, 24, now charged with capital murder, was out on multiple personal recognizance bonds, or PR bonds, including a previous assault against Robinson. He is reportedly Robinson’s ex-boyfriend.
“Kimberly Robinson was murdered not only by the defendant but her death is directly tied into the guise of criminal justice and bond reform,” says Andy Kahan, Director of Victims Services and Advocacy with Crime Stoppers Houston.
A PR bond allows a defendant to be released from jail without being required to post any money for their bond. Essentially, they are released on a promise to appear at their next court date.
The two judges that released the suspect prior to the murder were Colin Amann and Lionel Castro.
“This isn’t anything new,” says Kahan. “But COVID-19 has given the system a reason to get these offenders out of jail.”
In his role with Crime Stoppers Houston, Kahan investigates specific cases. He focuses not on first-time offenders but rather those charged with new violent crimes who also have a history with violent crimes.
Kahan points out that setting low bonds presents a dangerous situation for local neighborhoods. Robinson’s murder is a prime example of how deadly this can be.
Harris had been granted a PR bond for assault of a family member on November 19, 2019. He then was granted another PR bond, for the same offense, on April 30, 2020. Less than one month later, while he was already out on bond, Harris was granted a felony bond on May 3, 2020. He murdered Robinson and shot her 4-year-old daughter on July 17, 2020.
“It goes back to the economic theory of risk vs. reward,” says Kahan. “And right now, criminals getting off on a low bond is very likely.”
Kahan says that Robinson is the 39th person murdered in Harris County, in less than two years, by a defendant released on a felony or a PR bond.
“When the offender was charged with a felony, that should have resulted in his bond being revoked by the court,” says Kahan. “If his bond was revoked by the judge, Kimberly would be alive today.”
Katy Magazine has reached out to the office of several Harris County elected officials, including the 178thDistrict Court where Harris was granted bond. No one has commented at this time.