Houston man gets life in prison after fatally shooting 3 men

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston man has been sentenced to life in prison for shooting four men, including three who were killed, in the aftermath of a drug deal gone bad, according to prosecutors.

A jury in Harris County last week found Joshua Kelsey, 37, guilty of three counts of murder before sentencing him.

Prosecutors say Kelsey shot two men — one fatally — after buying heroin at a home in May 2020. A witness testified that Kelsey was angry at one of the men, Louis Hodges, for an incident the day before involving a small bag of heroin.

After stealing a car belonging to one of the men, Kelsey drove to the home of a friend, Michael Miller, and fatally shot him, police said.

Authorities said Kelsey blamed Miller for getting rid of a recreational vehicle that he had stored at Miller’s home. Investigators said Kelsey believed the loss of the RV led to him becoming homeless.

Kelsey then to drove to the home of an acquaintance, Juan Garcia, and fatally shot him. It was unclear why Kelsey held a grudge against Garcia, according to authorities.

Kelsey was later arrested after a 20-mile police chase.