HOUSTON — The Army veteran accused of fatally shooting 11-year-old Julian Guzman while the child was playing “ding dong ditch” with his cousin appeared in court Wednesday morning for a bond hearing.

The hearing lasted only a few minutes inside the 177th District Court, but it set the tone for a case now drawing national attention.

Judge DeToto set bond at $1 million for 42-year-old Gonzalo Leon Jr., who is charged with murder.

Leon appeared in a jail jumpsuit with hand and leg shackles as prosecutors argued for the high bond, saying the allegations involve “someone intentionally killing an 11-year-old for knocking on their door.”

District Attorney Sean Teare called the case “tragic” and “brutal.”
“When you have an 11-year-old shot in the back and murdered, I think it’s an appropriate bond,” Teare said.

If Leon is released, bond conditions include no contact with Guzman’s family and no firearms in his home.

Prosecutors also said charges could potentially be upgraded to capital murder as the investigation continues.

Leon’s newly appointed defense attorney pushed back, asking for bond to be set at $100,000. He argued that Leon’s ties to the community, military service, and family responsibilities should be taken into account.

The attorney also said Leon and his family stayed at a La Quinta Inn in LaPorte after the shooting — not to flee, but because of the intense media attention near their home.

In court and in later interviews, the defense suggested the shooting was a “tragic accident,” not an execution-style act, and argued the cell phone video may not prove clear intent to kill.

Prosecutors say they’ve gathered critical new evidence, including eyewitness testimony and a video recorded on Julian’s cell phone. The boy was filming the prank when shots rang out, capturing the moments from the door knock to when he collapsed while running away.

“I unfortunately have had to watch countless recordings and surveillance of people in their last moments,” Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said. “When you talk about an 11-year-old dying, where we hear it, that’s gonna be just some of the most horrific evidence that I can imagine.”

Julian’s cousin, who was with him that night, described what the suspect was wearing and where he appeared in the backyard. The child told family, “I didn’t know what to do, but I wish I could have done more.”

Assistant District Attorney John Brewer confirmed prosecutors shared all available information with the judge, even details that remain uncertain. He said out of “an abundance of caution,” both sides were upfront about the limits of some evidence.

Brewer added that investigators know the boys were using social media before the prank, though he declined to comment further.

Leon’s attorney disputed how prosecutors characterized the cell phone video, arguing it may not prove clear intent to kill. He suggested the case may fit a lesser charge and described the shooting as a “tragic accident,” not an execution-style act.

The defense also noted Leon’s Army veteran status, framing him as someone who has served his country and stressing that his actions should be fully considered in context before a jury.

Brewer said the investigation is ongoing and that additional information could lead to upgraded charges.

“There’s always an opportunity to upgrade a case if the evidence warrants it,” he said, adding that the most practical time to do so is before the case goes to a grand jury.

There was also discussion in court about a possible Guadalupe County charge in Leon’s past. Brewer noted the information is disputed but was provided to the judge.

The next court date is set for October 21.

Leon was arrested on Tuesday morning by Houston police and charged with murder. Investigators say he initially refused to answer questions the night of the shooting and has not spoken since his arrest.

Court documents allege Leon fired a warning shot into the ground before shooting Julian as he ran away down the sidewalk.

The shooting unfolded just before 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, on Racine Street near Mimbrough and Fidelity streets in east Houston. Police say Julian and his cousin knocked on Leon’s door three times within 15 minutes.

Court documents and investigators say that on the third knock, Leon was waiting in the shadows on the side of his house. He allegedly fired a warning shot into the ground before shooting Julian as he ran away down the sidewalk.

Prosecutors say Leon initially refused to answer questions the night of the shooting and has not spoken since his arrest on Tuesday morning.

The case has drawn national attention and sparked debate over self-defense laws in Texas. Prosecutors argue the shooting was unprovoked.

“There is no way that little boy was posing a threat… and he was running away on a public street. This is not stand your ground, this is not manslaughter. This is murder,” Teare said Tuesday evening.

During an interview on Wednesday following the hearing, Teare also framed the tragedy as one that has torn apart two families: “One lost a little boy before he even got to start his life, and another has a father and husband facing life in prison because of one angry act.”

Teare used the case to highlight the importance of responsible gun ownership, saying it means keeping firearms away from children, only using them when legally justified, and properly securing them to prevent theft.

“That responsibility does not include drawing down and shooting an 11-year-old in the back while he’s running away,” he said.

Neighbors remain stunned.

“What harm could they have done? Playing with a doorbell? That’s the part that really kind of hurts the heart,” one resident told KHOU 11 on Monday.

Another neighbor added, “Kids are just being kids. I feel like we’ve all played these ding-dong ditch (games).”

Outside the east Houston home where the shooting happened, a memorial cross filled with handwritten messages continues to grow.

One neighbor told KHOU 11, “It’s going to take time. It will for the family, for them to realize… it’s not easy.”

Julian’s mother left a message at the memorial: “I love you Julian you will always be in my heart. Rest in peace baby. Mom.”

Leon is due back in court on October 21. Prosecutors say they will continue reviewing evidence, including Julian’s cell phone video, before the case heads to a grand jury.

A GoFundMe account has been created to help the Guzman family.

Got a news tip? Text KHOU 11 at 713-526-1111.