A man from Denton who was convicted of murder while out on bail for aggravated assault was sentenced Thursday to 50 years in prison.
The jury found Justin Broadnax, 28, guilty for murdering a man on August 21, 2021, after hearing evidence during the trial about his allegedly violent past, including a history of domestic abuse and multiple threats against a firefighter, a Collin County District Attorney’s Office press release explained.
At the time of the murder, Broadnax was out on bond for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon seven months before the murder. The jury heard testimony that Denton County issued a protective order against Broadnax prohibiting him from carrying a weapon.
“This murderer had a long history of violence and threats with firearms that had yet to catch up with him. Now he’s been held accountable for murdering an unsuspecting and innocent victim,” Greg Willis, district attorney for Collin County, said after the sentencing, according to the press release.
The district attorney further added that the victim, in August 2021, was hanging out with friends at his apartment when Broadnax came unannounced and demanded to see his girlfriend.
Broadnax refused to leave after being asked to. The girlfriend convinced him to leave the apartment, and the two began walking outside.
However, as they were leaving, Broadnax hit the victim in the face with his elbow, and a fight began between him, the victim, and the other men in the apartment.
While fighting, Broadnax pulled out a gun and shot the victim in the chest. Afterward, he fled with his girlfriend to Houston, where he attempted to disguise his appearance.
Broadnax was arrested three days later by law enforcement officials along with U.S. Marshalls.
In Dallas, there have been 20 murders and non-negligent manslaughters reported in April, according to the Dallas crime analytics dashboard.
