What started as a downtown panhandle request on Travis Street turned violent, ending with a stabbing and an aggravated-robbery charge for a 33-year-old suspect, according to police records.
Orville E. Jr. Rodgers, 33, was arrested on April 16 and charged with aggravated robbery after an April 4 attack in the 300 block of Travis Street that left a man stabbed, police records show. Investigators say Rodgers allegedly assaulted the victim while trying to steal a chain.
According to Houston Police Robbery, charges were filed April 10 in Harris County, and detectives developed Rodgers as a suspect in Houston PD case number 434876-26. Metro police officers later detained a possible suspect at the downtown TC Metro Rail platform at 1800 Milam St., and HPD detectives took Rodgers into custody and booked him into the Harris County Jail on April 16. The Robbery Division's arrest notice includes a booking photo and states the defendant is charged in the 248th State District Court.
What Police Say Happened
Investigators say Rodgers first approached the complainant and asked for money, then walked away. Police say he soon came back, rushed the man and announced he intended to take the victim's chain. During the struggle, the complainant suffered a stab wound and the suspect fled on foot, according to authorities. The department posted the arrest announcement on Houston Police Robbery, which includes a summary of events and a booking photo.
Legal Stakes And Next Steps
Rodgers faces an aggravated-robbery charge that, under Texas law, applies when a robbery is committed with a deadly weapon or causes serious bodily injury; the statute classifies aggravated robbery as a first-degree felony. First-degree felonies in Texas carry a punishment range that can include five to 99 years (or life) in prison and an optional fine up to $10,000, though sentencing will depend on prosecutorial decisions, any enhancements and what a jury or judge orders. See Justia and the State Bar's guide for details.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip online; tips may be eligible for a reward. The Harris County District Attorney's Office will review the case and decide whether to formally prosecute it in the 248th State District Court as the investigation continues.
