SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Two men from San Antonio have been sentenced to 22 years in prison after originally being accused of capital murder in connection with the deaths of two individuals, including a 14-year-old, during a drug deal that turned deadly. Jaylen Dears and James Alexander Miller were charged with the murders of Bobby Lee Carter Jr., 14, and Robert Smith, 20, in 2020.

The capital murder charges against Dears and Miller were related to allegations that they killed Carter and Smith during the course of a robbery. Both men were prosecuted by Bexar County assistant district attorney Clayton Hayden. Miller, represented by defense attorneys Mark McKay and Andre Woodard, pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of aggravated robbery, resulting in a 22-year prison sentence. Dears entered into a similar agreement and was also sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading no contest to aggravated robbery.

During the sentencing, a statement from Carter’s mother, Victoria Renee Johnson Carter, was read by a victim advocate from the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. She expressed the pain of losing her son and emphasized the devastating impact it has had on her life. Aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, carries a punishment of five to 99 years or life in prison. If convicted of capital murder, both men could have faced life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.

The shooting occurred during the Christmas holidays amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the deaths of Carter and Smith on December 17, 2020. The victims were found critically wounded in the Northeast Side of San Antonio, and both died at Brooke Army Medical Center.

According to an affidavit, two witnesses reported that Smith and Miller, along with Dears, were involved in the fatal drug deal turned robbery. Following the shooting, Smith’s weapon and money were taken from the vehicle by Miller and Dears. Miller’s cellphone was found at the scene, and relatives confirmed the friendship between Smith and Miller before the tragic incident.

Dears, now 20, and Miller, now 21, will be eligible for parole after serving at least half of their prison terms.