‘Trouble found him’: Defense claims self-defense on day one of Tyler murder trial

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - A murder trial began in Tyler on Tuesday morning.

Kendrick Ross is charged with the murder of Demonta Jaquis Brown, 32, as well as the shooting injury of a woman, in October 2025.

Ross is arguing self defense.

“Kendrick Ross was not looking for trouble; trouble found him,” said Ross’s attorney Justin Carmichael.

Prosecutors say Ross shot Brown three times after a fight broke out at his home.

In her opening statement, prosecutor Kasey Sirianni said several people came to Ross’s home looking for a purse that was missing. One of them assaulted Ross, but she says testimony will show the fight was over and Brown was walking away from Ross when shots were fired.

Testimony began with a Tyler Police officer who responded to the scene, which happened around 2 a.m. Several officers were seen on body camera holding witnesses at gunpoint as they worked to determine who the shooter was. The jury viewed a chaotic scene that included Brown’s wife screaming in the background.

The officer found Brown on the ground. He was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

A Tyler crime scene investigator was on the stand for several hours, showing crime scene photos which included several shells 9-millimeter casings. Ross’s attorney also displayed photos he took of Ross’s injuries- which included several scrapes on his face.

The investigator testified they never found the gun used in the shooting.

Carmichael spent time asking the investigator about a knife that was found in a truck at the home.

The knife wasn’t collected until this month. The investigator said he was only aware that guns were involved in the shooting and therefore didn’t collect it. Judge Gunter granted an order to preserve the knife earlier this month.

The investigator testified that there was blood evidence found in the truck not far from the knife.

After an objection from the defense and a ruling from the judge, the state was able to introduce Ross’s previous charge and conviction of injury to a child. He was sentenced to 20 years in 2013.

The jury saw autopsy photos and heard from the doctor who performed the procedure. She testified Brown was shot three times, at least once in the back. The other two wounds could not be distinguished.