House Wounded in One-Person Gun Battle

Resident in Custody

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – A house sustained several bullet wounds on Nov. 21 when an occupant opened fire from inside the domicile.

Grapeland resident Larry Wayne Pelham, 47, was taken into custody on Dec. 5 for his actions stemming from the one-person gun battle, the week before Thanksgiving. He was charged with one count of deadly conduct.

According to a probable cause affidavit, “Grapeland Police Officer Kody Stephens was dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of College Street for shots fired in the area.”

Once he arrived, the GPD officer spoke with witnesses who indicated they saw several flashes from inside Pelham’s residence and heard bullets striking a nearby metal building.

“Stephens approached the residence and observed numerous bullet holes shot through the front of Larry’s house from the inside. The bullets exiting the front of Larry’s residence passed through a metal building and from there towards more homes in the residential area,” the affidavit reported. 

A search warrant was obtained for Pelham’s resident, and as indicated in the affidavit, “… Larry was found inside the residence with numerous loaded weapons and appeared to be intoxicated.”

He was booked into custody on one count of deadly conduct, a third degree felony.

According to Section 12.34 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Pelham is being held at the Houston County Jail on a bond of $30,000.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].