Marquana Adale Jasper, who has been charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of murder, appeared before Liberty County Superior Court Judge David Cavendar on Monday. Cavendar heard Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Det. Steven Teal’s testimony, which established probable cause in the state’s case.
Jasper’s attorney, Joshua Brockington, requested bond for his client, and it was set at $60,000. Jasper was arrested June 6, just one day after James Stewart was shot in the head with a Ruger .117 pellet gun under what Teal described as “unusual circumstances.”
Authorities responded to reports of a man found lying in a ditch June 5, near Highway 196 and Elim Church Road. What originally seemed to be a possible hit-and-run case morphed into a homicide investigation when emergency medical personnel discovered what appeared to be a gunshot wound in Stewart’s head.
During a previous hearing, Jasper admitted to knowing Stewart and being with him June 6. On Monday, Teal claimed in his testimony that Jasper admitted she shot Stewart with the pellet gun.