Black Suspects in Killing of White Cab Driver Appear in Court

KHOU
February 28, 2014

victim taxi cab
Donalvon Odell Rhyne was shot and killed by two Blacks who were intent on robbing him of his takings for the night.

Two suspects wanted in the shooting death of a cab driver in southwest Houston are now off the streets. Jock Wilson and Jermaine Palmer were both charged with capital murder.

Donalvon Odell Rhyne, 52, was found shot in his cab in the 7800 block of Brompton early Friday morning. An investigation revealed the shooting occurred during a robbery the night before. The United Taxi Cab driver had dropped someone off when two men approached and robbed, or tried to rob, him.

“Two guys just walked up off the street maybe they were looking for a victim of opportunity, is what I believe at this point,” said Sgt. Meeler, with the Homicide Division.

Rhyne fought back and was shot, police said.

Rhyne’s wife of 25 years said he’d had trouble before as a cab driver but never anything violent.

The reward in the case doubled to $10,000 on Monday, thanks to United or Yellow Cab, adding $5,000 to the Crime Stoppers reward.

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Jock Wilson and Jermaine Palmer have both been charged with capital murder.

It didn’t take long after that for the suspects to be caught.

Wilson, 28, was taken into custody Tuesday by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force and appeared in probable cause court overnight Wednesday.

Investigators also tracked down his alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Jermaine Palmer, who was taken into custody in Austin County and extradited back to Harris County. He is expected to make his court appearance Thursday morning.

Surveillance cameras show a five-to seven-minute argument between Rhyne and the suspects, before a struggle ensued, followed by a single gunshot. Who followed that fatal shot, is the big question. Both Wilson and Palmer are fingering the other as the triggerman.

Investigators said Wilson’s palm print was also found in the cab.