Murder suspect had a history of violence

A 29-year-old Houston man is accused of beating to death his girlfriend in an east Harris County mobile home last week, roughly two months after he was charged with assaulting her, court records show.

Jesus Leobardo Gallegos was charged on Wednesday with murder in the death of 43-year-old Rita Ann Acosta, according to Harris County court records.

Acosta’s uncle called 911around 7:45 a.m. Friday after he found the woman unresponsive in her bedroom, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Acosta was staying with him at his mobile home on the 7200 block of Rimwood Road.

When deputies arrived, they found Acosta with severe blunt force injuries to her face and head, the agency said. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

The uncle told authorities he heard an argument around 1 a.m. between Acosta and her boyfriend.

On Monday, sheriff’s deputies arrested the boyfriend, Gallegos, who was wanted in connection with four open felony warrants, including the previous assault against Acosta, unauthorized use of a vehicle and weapon possession.

In two of those cases, prosecutors motioned in September to deny bail for Gallegos. Judge Chris Morton set bail at $10,000

in one of those cases, felon in possession of aweapon. The other, felony assault against a family member, was set at $15,000, court records show.

In that case, Gallegos was charged in a physical attack against Acosta, according to court documents. Less than three weeks later, Gallegos made the $15,000 bond and was released from jail on certain conditions, including that he stay away from Acosta and her home.

Two days before Acosta was killed, a judge signed a bond condition violation report noting that Gallegos had failed to report to pretrial services, failed to comply with his curfew, went more than two weeks with a dead battery on his electronic monitoring device, tampered with the device on two occasions and was not answering calls. The judge ordered bail be revoked and issued warrants for his arrest.

Gallegos has a prior history of domestic violence. In 2015, he was convicted and sentenced to three years confinement for assaulting another woman he was dating, although it was unclear how much time he served. In 2014, he was convicted on another family assault charge for breaking into his brother’s home, knocking him unconscious and stealing his TV, the records show.

In 2019, Gallegos was also charged with two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, and the judge eventually lowered his bond in both of those cases, according to court documents.

Five years earlier, Gallegos failed to appear in court and forfeited $25,000 in bond money.

Gallegos was not present at a probable cause hearing early Thursday because he tested positive for COVID-19, according to a judge. His hearing was rescheduled for later Thursday, and his first court appearance was set for Monday morning.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has already motioned to hold a hearing to deny bail in Gallegos’ murder case.