A teen who reportedly told homicide detectives he shot in self defense a man from whom he was buying THC vapes was indicted on a murder charge Tuesday by a Lubbock County grand jury.
Keymarion Burton, who has been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center since July 8, is charged with murder in the July 5 fatal shooting of 27-year-old Joe Ybarra Jr. at a north Lubbock apartment complex.
Murder carries a punishment of five years to life in prison.
His charge stems from a Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit investigation that began after officers responded to a 12:35 a.m. shots-fired call in the 700 block of North Ithaca Avenue.
Responding officers found Ybarra suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot, according to a police news release.
He was taken to University Medical Center where he died.
Burton was identified as a suspect in the case after detectives linked him to a Dodge Challenger Hellcat that witnesses said the shooter was in, according to a probable cause affidavit.
According to court documents, investigators found the vehicle at a home in the 4500 block of Itasca Street the day after the shooting.
Burton ultimately met with detectives and reportedly said he went to the apartment to meet with Ybarra to buy THC vape cartridges.
However, during the interview, Burton would change the details of his story, first admitting he was the driver then saying he was the passenger and wouldn't identify the person he was with in the vehicle.
Burton reportedly said after confirming the price for the drugs, Ybarra brandished a pistol and aimed it at him. Burton, who reportedly said he was armed with a .45 pistol, told investigators he and Ybarra "might have fired at the same time ...," the affidavit states.
Burton reportedly said he was later robbed of his gun later but initially said he didn't know who the robbers were then later gave detectives the name of the person he said robbed him.
According to the probable-cause affidavit, investigators determined that Burton's self-defense claim was not credible based on the inconsistencies and deceptions in Burton's statement.
According to court documents, the mother of the man who owned the vehicle told detectives her son and Burton went to the apartment complex to rob Ybarra of $180 worth of THC vape pens.
Detectives obtained a warrant to arrest Burton, who was arrested near the intersection of 66th Street and Alcove Avenue, according to jail records.
He remains held at the jail. His bond is set at $250,000.
Gabriel Monte is the criminal justice reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal in Texas. Have a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Teen indicted in deadly north Lubbock shooting stemming from drug buy