NEW BOSTON, Texas - A 33-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison by a Bowie County jury Wednesday for an armed convenience store robbery that netted him $78 in 2019.
The jury deliberated about 20 minutes before returning a guilty verdict for Kendrick Lamar Hill. During the punishment phase, the jury of eight men and four women heard testimony about 16 prior misdemeanor and felony convictions on Hill's record including multiple counts of evading arrest, assault, burglaries and theft.
They deliberated about a half hour before returning a maximum life sentence and a maximum $10,000 fine.
First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards asked the jury for a life sentence after pointing out the number of times Hill has received probation and that Hill had been on probation for just 44 days on weapons offenses when he committed the EZ Mart robbery.
"This criminal history tells you what he does when he's given another chance," Richards argued in closing remarks. "He throws it right back in our face."
Hill was quickly identified by Nash, Texas, Police Department investigators and a Bowie County canine officer as the robber after they viewed video surveillance of the Nov. 6, 2019, hold-up of the EZ Mart at 257 New Boston Road. Shortly before entering the store, Hill struck up a conversation with Lt. Kerry Manning of the Bowie County jail.
Bowie County Sheriff's Office Deputy Johnathan Matlock went to Manning's home in Nash and asked if he remembered who it was he'd chatted with in the EZ Mart parking lot. Manning, who has worked at the jail for 27 years, knew Hill from Hill's frequent stays at the Bowie County jail.
A video of the robbery was played for the jury.
Hill entered the store shortly after 11 p.m. wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled up. He waits in line as another customer checks out and other patrons can be seen milling about the store in the background.
When Hill gets to the counter he sets down a drink and other items and quickly brandishes a black pistol and begins screaming at Michael Scott, the only employee on duty. Scott attempts to run and duck but Hill keeps the gun trained on Scott as the clerk pleads, "Just take the money."
"I was afraid I was going to get shot," Scott testified.
Nash Patrol Officer Jacob Meadows testified that Scott was noticeably shaken.
"He was very rattled, distraught," Meadows said.
EZ Mart District Manager Natalie Cotton testified that Scott was extremely affected by the event.
"He was really amped up," Cotton said.
Scott never went back to his job at EZ Mart.
Cotton testified that an audit of the store the night of the robbery revealed that $78 dollars was missing from the register.
While officers were processing the scene, a man who lived a five minute walk away in a trailer park approached police to inform them that Hill had been at his residence shortly before the robbery and briefly afterward. The man told officers he suspected Hill was up to no good.
Later that night the man called to report that he'd found a gun under his porch. That gun was recovered by police and determined to be a Beretta air pistol which shoots pellets though it had the appearance of a genuine pistol.
Nash Investigator Michael Sutton testified that the air pistol likely appeared to be a firearm to the terrified clerk and noted that the air pistol could have easily blinded a person.
In closing arguments, Crisp pointed out that her name appears on judgments granting Hill a term of probation prior to his arrest for aggravated robbery.
"What else can we do? His crimes are escalating," Crisp said. "He's going to keep doing it unless we put a stop to it."
Crisp thanked the jury for their service.
"As our system of justice allows, the jury chose the consequences for the brazen criminality of the decisions Kendrick Hill made. Hill, a repeat offender, demonstrated absolute disregard for the safety and well-being of the clerk or the other patrons of the convenience store he robbed at gunpoint. The Bowie County District Attorney's office appreciates the jury's conviction and life sentence - and that citizens continue to value law and order."