The Brazos County district attorney’s office announced a plea agreement was reached with 32 year old Rufus Lockett.
He will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole after admitting to killing the clerk working at the College Station Valero.
Lockett also admitted to shooting a clerk at the Bryan Valero at Villa Maria and Cavitt.
The shootings took place during a two week period in December of 2018.
News release from the Brazos County district attorney’s office:
On Friday, January 28, 2022, Rufus Lockett pled Guilty to Capital Murder and was sentenced to Life without the possibility of parole in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Lockett also plead to and was sentenced to Life on Aggravated Robbery.
Lockett was charged with the murder of Anita Randle who he shot in the course of robbing a College Station convenience store on December 16, 2018. Lockett approached the victim who was working at the cash register of the store and demanded the store’s money at gunpoint. After she complied, Lockett murdered the victim by shooting her in the chest.
The victim is survived by her children and grandchildren who describe her as kind and loving.
Lockett was not on scene when officers arrived. College Station and Bryan police officers worked together to identify Lockett as the killer.
Just days before the capital murder of Ms. Randle, on December 3, 2019, Binod Jethara narrowly avoided being killed by the defendant while working at a convenience store in Bryan.
The defendant approached Mr. Jethara who was working at the cash register and demanded the store’s money. The defendant then shot the victim and fled from the store, leaving him with near-fatal injuries. The victim sustained extensive damage to his heart from the gunshot. He survived thanks to medical intervention.
College Station and Bryan police officers worked diligently to investigate the violent acts that Lockett committed.
Thanks to their efforts and the thorough investigation, Lockett chose to admit his guilt for the murder of Ms. Randle and the shooting of Mr. Jethara. He will spend the rest of his natural life in prison.
Expert witness testimony was also heard by the court to establish the defendant’s competency prior to the plea.