Jecory Rafael Miles was 27 when he was killed in Houston on September 26, 2020. He was described as joyful and was the father of two young children. His death has profoundly affected his family and friends.

Two men, Wilburt Smith and Louis Anthony Shoulders, were arrested and charged in connection with Miles’s murder. Both men reportedly had prior violent offenses and were out on bond at the time. Miles’s parents have publicly blamed the Harris County criminal justice system and its handling of bond for their son’s death, calling for changes to keep violent offenders off the street.

The case became a focal point in debates over bond policy in Harris County, with critics saying releases of people with violent histories can produce preventable tragedies.