HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – The Henderson County District Attorney’s Office said a man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for burglary of a home in Eustace in 2022.
Christopher Thomas Powell was found guilty by a jury in the 392nd District Court on Wednesday. According to the district attorney’s office, Powell was charged with burglary of a habitation after he entered a home in Eustace on March 21, 2022 and set it on fire.
Evidence presented at trial showed that a Henderson County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched to a home on Allen Ranch Road after a resident reported seeing a man with a gas can loading items into a truck.
When the deputy arrived, they reported seeing smoke coming from a burning home. Investigators found that the truck loaded with items was registered to one of Powell’s relatives. Video footage recovered at the scene showed a person identified as Powell, the district attorney’s office said.
A DNA warrant was issued for gloves and shoes found with Powell that resembled those shown in the video. A press release from the district attorney’s office said Powell’s DNA was taken despite his initial resistance and it matched DNA from the gloves and shoes.
“Powell’s resistance caused minor injury to [former Henderson County investigators]. The jury heard testimony that the DNA found on the clothing items matched Powell,” the district attorney’s office said. “The jury was also able to hear Powell’s voice that was recorded during the DNA warrant and match it to the voice heard on the victim’s Ring camera.”
Former Henderson County Fire Marshal Shane Renberg testified during the trial that Powell had used the fire as a deadly weapon during the burglary.
The district attorney’s office mentioned several other convictions that Powell had including one at the same victim’s home in 2020. Powell was sentenced to 24 years in state prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine on Thursday.
“I appreciate the hard work of everyone this week,” Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer said. “This was potentially a very dangerous crime and we are extremely thankful that Powell’s criminal actions didn’t result in greater property destruction or injury. This type of crime is taken very seriously in our county. I am proud of the way our law enforcement, our volunteer firefighters, our prosecutors and Fire Marshall Renberg worked together to get justice for our community.”
