AUSTIN, Texas — On Thursday, a man was found guilty of killing an Austin teen on July 4, 2018, over an argument regarding fireworks. A day later he was sentenced to 43 years in prison.
Jason Roche, 41, was found guilty of shooting and killing 19-year-old Devonte Ortiz. Police said the argument escalated to a point where Ortiz and Roche both displayed firearms.
According to arrest documents, Roche was taken to the Austin Police Department Homicide Unit after the shooting for an interview. Roche explained to police that he had told Ortiz and his friends to stop shooting off fireworks in the area but said Ortiz did not listen. Roche said he shot Ortiz after the second discussion with the group. According to an arrest affidavit, Roche said he shot Ortiz in the front and upper torso in an act of self-defense after witnessing him reach for his firearm. Roche claimed Ortiz pulled out a firearm from his vehicle minutes before the shooting and had placed the weapon on the ground by his vehicle.
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Detectives said they reviewed cellphone video taken by witnesses at the scene. In the video, investigators said they saw Ortiz and Roche arguing. Authorities said Roche was seen in the footage displaying his firearm multiple times and following the teen around a vehicle as they continued to argue with each other. At one point, Roche's father appeared on camera and attempted to intervene in the argument, according to detectives. Roche's father then reportedly began arguing with Ortiz, and the two got into a physical altercation. Detectives said Ortiz shoved Roche's father, which caused him to fall to the ground. Investigators said that's when Roche was seen shooting Ortiz. They noted Ortiz was not holding a firearm and was moving away from it, contradicting the claim Roche made to police during his interview.
According to court documents, Roche finished a 10-year probation sentence in December 2010 for a felony drug offense. Roche was also convicted in Travis County for burglarizing a vehicle in 1994 and driving while intoxicated in 1999.
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