A teenager has been found guilty of murder for orchestrating a plan to rob and kill his girlfriend’s grandmother. Uriah Lee Urick Jr. was convicted on Friday, November 7, for the February murder of 61-year-old Tammy King, the grandmother of his girlfriend, Tara King, who was 17 at the time.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including text messages and digital communications that revealed Urick’s detailed scheme to rob and murder Tammy, allegedly in collaboration with Tara. The court was shown messages where the teenagers discussed kidnapping and killing Tammy to steal her money, methamphetamine, and firearms, while falsely accusing Tammy of mistreating them.
Prosecutors highlighted specific messages as evidence of premeditation. In one exchange, the teens allegedly mentioned possessing ammunition capable of causing severe harm and planned to execute the murder at 4 o’clock. Additionally, they discussed “riding at dawn,” with Urick referring to the murder as the beginning of a new life chapter.
Tammy was shot in the head on February 5 at her Bacliff residence, located approximately 30 minutes from Galveston, Texas. Her body was discovered days later during a welfare check, concealed under blankets.
After the murder, the teenagers stole cash from a lockbox or safe, leading to an escalated charge of capital murder. Investigators also uncovered significant transfers of money from Tammy’s bank account to Tara’s Cash App.
Court documents revealed that Urick’s mother expressed concerns to investigators about her son’s capacity for violence, citing Tara’s animosity towards her grandmother for not allowing Urick to stay overnight. Urick’s stepfather also indicated Urick’s potential for violence due to his aggressive tendencies.
Following the murder, Urick and Tara reportedly traveled by hitchhiking and stayed with individuals they met through social media before being apprehended near the US-Mexico border in Laredo on February 9.
One witness testified that he had driven the couple to Laredo and recounted Urick offering him money and confessing about the smell of burning flesh he couldn’t shake off during the journey. The witness later assisted authorities in locating the murder weapons.
Defense attorney Bill Agnew argued that the killing was not planned but rather an impulsive act stemming from drug-influenced teenagers seeking independence rather than financial gain. Agnew contested the prosecution’s failure to establish robbery as a motive. In Texas, a conviction for capital murder results in an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen stated, “Justice has been served for Tammy King and her loved ones,” following the verdict. Tara King also faces charges of capital murder and is set to stand trial in January 2026.
