Denton County Murder charges carry life-altering consequences. Under Texas law, murder is the most serious non-capital felony offense — punishable by 5 to 99 years in prison or life. If you or someone you love is accused of homicide in Denton County, the stakes could not be higher. You need a defense team that has handled murder cases from both sides of the courtroom — prosecutors who know how the State builds its case, and trial lawyers who know how to dismantle it.
Varghese Summersett is one of the most experienced criminal defense firms in North Texas, with more than 100 years of combined experience across a team of 70-plus attorneys, paralegals, and legal professionals. The firm has offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, and Southlake — and regularly handles serious felony cases in Denton County district courts.
The firm’s homicide defense team includes attorneys who spent decades as prosecutors before switching sides. These attorneys know how prosecutors build homicide cases because they built them. The team also includes Board Certified Criminal Law Specialists who have demonstrated proven expertise in complex felony litigation and have earned recognition for their trial skill and legal knowledge.
Across its history, the firm has secured more than 1,600 dismissals and over 800 charge reductions in a wide range of criminal cases. When the charge is murder, that track record matters. The firm is also highly experienced in handling high-profile cases, managing intense media attention while protecting clients’ rights, reputations, and presumption of innocence at every stage of the proceedings.
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What You’re Probably Asking Right Now
People who call us after a homicide arrest — or after a detective makes contact — are usually asking the same urgent questions. Here is what you need to know.
What is the difference between murder and capital murder in Texas?
Murder becomes capital murder when the killing falls into specific categories defined by law — killing a police officer, killing during certain felonies, killing a child under age 10, or killing more than one person, among others. Capital murder is a capital felony, punishable by death or life without the possibility of parole. You can read more about that distinction in our guide on murder vs. capital murder in Texas.
What if I was defending myself?
Self-defense is one of the most powerful defenses in a Texas homicide case. The “Castle Doctrine” and Texas’s “Stand Your Ground” law give people broad rights to use deadly force in certain circumstances. Whether that defense applies depends entirely on the specific facts of your case — which is exactly why you need an experienced attorney analyzing those facts from day one.
Can a murder charge be dismissed or reduced?
Yes. Varghese Summersett has secured both outcomes in murder cases. The case outcome depends on the evidence, witness credibility, the quality of the investigation, and how aggressively the defense team challenges the prosecution’s theory. Results in past cases do not guarantee a specific outcome in any future case.
What if the police just want to “ask me questions”?
Do not speak with investigators without an attorney present. Police are permitted by law to use deception during questioning. Anything you say can be used against you. You have the right to remain silent — use it. Then call us.
Texas Law on Murder and Homicide
Texas law recognizes several distinct types of criminal homicide. Each carries different elements, penalties, and available defenses. Understanding the charge you face is the first step in building a defense.
Murder — Texas Penal Code § 19.02
Under Texas Penal Code § 19.02, a person commits murder if they intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another person; or intend to cause serious bodily injury and commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that results in death; or commit or attempt to commit a felony and, in the course of that felony, commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes death (known as felony murder).
The prosecution bears the burden of proving every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant has no obligation to prove anything. Murder is a first degree felony.
Capital Murder — Texas Penal Code § 19.03
Under Texas Penal Code § 19.03, murder is elevated to capital murder in specific circumstances — including killing a peace officer or firefighter on duty, killing for payment, killing during the course of certain felonies, killing a child under ten years of age, or killing multiple people. Capital murder is a capital felony. Punishment is either death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Manslaughter — Texas Penal Code § 19.04
Under Texas Penal Code § 19.04, manslaughter occurs when a person recklessly causes the death of another. Unlike murder, it does not require intent to kill. It is a second degree felony. Intoxication manslaughter — causing death while driving drunk — is also a second degree felony with specific enhancements.
Criminally Negligent Homicide — Texas Penal Code § 19.05
Criminally negligent homicide applies when a person causes death through criminal negligence — a failure to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that any reasonable person would have recognized. It is a state jail felony, the least serious homicide charge in Texas. You can explore how these charges compare in our detailed breakdown of murder vs. manslaughter vs. criminally negligent homicide.
Penalties for Homicide in Texas
- Capital Murder (Capital Felony): Death penalty or life without parole; no fine
- Murder (First Degree Felony): 5 to 99 years or life in prison; up to $10,000 fine
- Manslaughter (Second Degree Felony): 2 to 20 years in prison; up to $10,000 fine
- Criminally Negligent Homicide (State Jail Felony): 180 days to 2 years in state jail; up to $10,000 fine
A murder conviction in Texas also carries permanent consequences beyond prison: lifetime prohibition on possessing a firearm, ineligibility for most professional licenses, immigration consequences for non-citizens, and a permanent record that follows a person for life. These stakes are why the quality of your Denton County murder lawyer is not a secondary concern — it is the most important decision you will make.
Murder Bond Amounts in Denton County
After a murder arrest in Denton County, one of the first concerns families have is getting their loved one out of jail while the case moves forward. Bond amounts for homicide charges are among the highest in the criminal system.
Based on an analysis Varghese Summersett completed of over 12,937 bonds set in Denton County in 2025:
| Charge | Typical Bond Range | Most Common Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Murder (§ 19.02) | Varies widely; average near $465,000 | $500,000 |
| Manslaughter (§ 19.04) | Varies; average near $105,000 | $10,000 |
Judges have broad discretion in setting bond amounts in homicide cases. In capital murder cases, bond may be denied entirely. An experienced Denton County murder defense attorney can file a motion arguing that a lower bond is appropriate based on the defendant’s ties to the community, lack of prior criminal history, and the specific circumstances of the case. Having a skilled lawyer argue for bond reduction can be the difference between waiting at home or waiting in jail.
Defenses to Murder Charges in Texas
Every element the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt is also a potential point of attack for the defense. Experienced homicide attorneys look at the entire case — the evidence, the investigation, the witnesses, and the science — and challenge every weak link.
Self-Defense and Defense of Others
Texas law grants broad rights to use deadly force when a person reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect themselves or another from death or serious bodily injury. The defendant does not have a duty to retreat in a place where they have a legal right to be. This is among the most successful defenses in Texas homicide cases when the facts support it.
Lack of Intent
Murder requires intentional or knowing conduct — or recklessness at a minimum for manslaughter. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant intended to cause death or serious bodily injury, the charge may not hold. Accidents are not murders.
Challenging the Evidence
Physical and forensic evidence in homicide cases is often complex and subject to challenge. DNA, ballistics, toxicology, surveillance footage, cell phone records, and eyewitness accounts can all contain errors. Defense attorneys work with independent experts to scrutinize everything the prosecution plans to use.
Challenging the Investigation
If law enforcement violated your constitutional rights during the investigation — conducting an illegal search, failing to advise you of your Miranda rights before a custodial interrogation, or using coercive tactics — evidence gathered as a result may be suppressed. Removing key evidence can dramatically change the strength of the prosecution’s case.
Sudden Passion
Texas law allows a defendant charged with first-degree murder to raise sudden passion as a mitigating issue during the punishment phase. If a jury finds that the defendant acted under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause, the offense is punished as a second-degree felony rather than a first-degree felony — a significant difference in potential prison time. You can learn more in our article on sudden passion in murder cases.
Alibi
If the defendant was not at the scene, alibi evidence — witnesses, surveillance footage, phone records, financial records — can establish that fact and undermine the prosecution’s entire theory of the case.
What Happens After a Denton County Murder Arrest?
The path from arrest to resolution in a murder case is long and complicated. Here is what to expect at each stage.
Arrest and Magistration
After arrest, you will be brought before a magistrate judge — typically within 48 hours — who will inform you of your rights, the charges against you, and set an initial bond. In capital murder cases, the magistrate may deny bond entirely.
Grand Jury
Before you can be formally indicted for murder in Texas, the case must go to a grand jury. A grand jury of citizens reviews the evidence and decides whether there is probable cause to indict. The defense has no right to present evidence at this stage, but an experienced attorney can sometimes provide the grand jury with information that leads them to return a “no bill” — meaning no indictment.
Pretrial Hearings
Once indicted, pretrial hearings may address motions to suppress evidence, challenges to the indictment, and other legal issues that can shape how — or whether — the case proceeds to trial.
Trial
Homicide trials in Denton County are held in the district courts. The prosecution presents its case first. The defense then has the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, present its own evidence, and argue that the prosecution has not met its burden. The jury must reach a unanimous verdict of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If the verdict is not guilty, the defendant goes free.
Punishment
If convicted, punishment is either determined by the judge or — if requested by either party — a separate jury phase. This is where mitigation evidence, character witnesses, and expert testimony can make a meaningful difference in the sentence imposed.
Real Results in Murder Cases
The following results come from Varghese Summersett’s case history. Past results do not guarantee any specific outcome in a future case, but they demonstrate the firm’s experience handling homicide charges at the highest level.
Varghese Summersett secured a Not Guilty verdict at jury trial in a murder case. In a separate murder case, the firm obtained a dismissal of all charges.
These outcomes reflect the difference that experienced, aggressive representation can make — even in the most serious cases in the Texas criminal justice system.
What to Expect When You Hire Varghese Summersett
When someone is charged with murder, the weeks after arrest are critical. Evidence can disappear. Witnesses’ memories fade. Social media gets scrubbed — or scrutinized. The earlier a defense team gets involved, the more options remain available.
From the moment you call, Varghese Summersett takes a team approach. Your case is reviewed by multiple senior attorneys. An investigator may be retained. Expert witnesses — forensic pathologists, ballistics experts, digital forensics specialists — are brought in when needed. Every piece of evidence the prosecution intends to use is examined for weaknesses, constitutional violations, and scientific reliability.
The attorneys who will represent you in Denton County are not generalists who occasionally handle a serious felony. They are practitioners who have spent careers handling violent felonies and who have the courtroom reputation that matters when it counts. Judges, prosecutors, and juries know who is on the other side of the table. That reputation is built case by case.
Varghese Summersett is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because arrests do not happen during business hours. If your family is facing this situation right now, reach out immediately. Call 940-252-2220 for a free consultation.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Murder Charges in Denton County
How is murder different from manslaughter in Texas?
Murder requires that the defendant intentionally or knowingly caused the death of another — or committed a dangerous act during a felony that caused death. Manslaughter requires only recklessness, not intent to kill. The distinction matters enormously for both the charge level and the potential sentence. Murder is a first degree felony; manslaughter is a second degree felony.
Can I get bond on a murder charge in Denton County?
In most murder cases, bond is possible — though amounts are typically very high. Based on Denton County data, the most common bond set for murder charges in 2025 was $500,000. In capital murder cases, a judge may deny bond entirely. An attorney can file a bond reduction motion and argue for a lower amount based on the specific facts of your situation.
What is felony murder in Texas?
Felony murder applies when a person causes someone’s death while committing or attempting to commit another felony — even if there was no intent to kill. For example, if someone dies during an armed robbery, every participant in that robbery may face murder charges under the law of parties. You can read more in our guide on felony murder in Texas.
What if a juvenile is charged with murder in Denton County?
Juveniles charged with murder face the possibility of certification as adults, which would expose them to adult criminal penalties including life in prison. These cases require specialized representation immediately. You can learn more about how these cases work in our article on juvenile murder in Texas.
How long does a murder case take in Denton County?
Murder cases are complex and rarely resolve quickly. From arrest to trial, the process often takes one to three years or longer, depending on the complexity of the evidence, the number of witnesses, and how crowded the district court docket is. Pretrial motions, discovery disputes, and expert witness preparation all take time. Your attorney should be managing that timeline on your behalf every step of the way.
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Talk to a Denton County Homicide Defense Attorney Now
A murder charge is not the time for a generalist. It is the time for attorneys who have spent careers in courtrooms handling the most serious cases in the Texas criminal justice system. Varghese Summersett is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The sooner a defense team gets involved, the more options you have. Call 940-252-2220 or reach out online to speak with a Denton County murder defense attorney today.
