BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — A Bell County juvenile court judge has ordered Reshawn Ellison, now age 17, to stand trial as an adult in connection with a March shooting which killed one person and injured two others.
On Aug. 13, the judge signed a Waiver of Jurisdiction and Order of Transfer, sending Ellison’s case to criminal district court. Ellison faces one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon stemming from the March 25 incident.
According to court findings, Ellison allegedly used an AR‑10 rifle to fire several rounds into a vehicle occupied by three victims — Jahid Black, Jonahson Louis and Jahaziel Black. The order states Jahid Black died at the scene, while the others suffered gunshot wounds to the back. One surviving victim was flown by air ambulance to a hospital.
Ellison was 16 years old at the time of the alleged offense and was being held in the Bell County Juvenile Detention Center before being transferred to the Bell County Jail on his 17th birthday, Nov. 3, 2025.
The ruling followed a discretionary transfer hearing under Section 54.02 of the Texas Family Code. The court cited the “seriousness of the offense” and Ellison’s past record — including alleged violations of juvenile probation and new offenses while under supervision — as reasons for the transfer.
In an attached exhibit, the court noted Ellison had 12 prior referrals for 16 offenses and was found to be at “high risk to reoffend” based on an assessment by the Bell County Juvenile Probation Department. The judge determined the available juvenile rehabilitation programs and facilities were unlikely to protect the public or provide sufficient rehabilitation.
According to Bell County Jail records, Ellison's current total bond is set at $2 million - $1 million for murder, $500,000 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and a second charge for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with a bond set at $500,000.
According to court records obtained by 25 News, the Bell County Grand Jury gave an indictment saying Ellison, "did then and there intentionally knowingly cause the death of an individual, namely Jahid Hombre Black, by shooting him with a firearm, a deadly weapon."
The court informed Ellison and his parent of his right to appeal the transfer order. However, Ellison and his attorneys, Michael J. Magana and Michael White, signed a waiver of appeal, indicating they understood and voluntarily gave up the right to challenge the transfer decision.
If convicted in criminal district court, Ellison could face penalties under Texas adult sentencing guidelines, which are significantly harsher than juvenile dispositions.
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