TYLER, Texas — A 22-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Friday morning to his involvement in the death of a 17-year-old Tyler boy during a 2021 robbery.
Jason Rhodes, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of aggravated robbery in connection with the June 30, 2021 shooting death of Jesse McNeely during a hearing in the 114th District Court. He was sentenced to 20 years.
Rhodes also pleaded guilty to a probation violation related to a burglary of a home conviction. He was sentenced to 20 years for that offense. The sentences will be served at the same time.
Rhodes was one of three men accused of trying to rob McNeely and his friend outside of a residence in the 3200 block of Omega Drive, police documents show. All three were originally charged with capital murder.
Andres Urrutia, 21, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to capital murder this past June and was sentenced to life in prison. Lorenzo L. Martinez has a plea and sentencing hearing scheduled for the morning of Oct. 13, according to judicial records.
An arrest affidavit states McNeely was speaking with his friend outside of his home when a vehicle pulled up and a man got out with a handgun. The man from the car demanded McNeely and his friend’s property. They said they didn’t have anything, so he told them to give him their car keys.
McNeely and his friend started fighting with the man trying to rob them, and during the struggle, McNeely was shot and killed, the affidavit stated.
Surveillance video showed the fight began between McNeely and the man from the car. McNeely’s friend got involved in the fight and then a second man got out of the vehicle to help the first man. The detective noticed the flash from the gun during the fight followed by another flash. The second shot struck McNeely and the two men from the car fled, the document read.