Vrana convicted of capital murder in Jason Baum shooting
It took a jury just 23 minutes Wednesday to convict Martez Travon Vrana of capital murder in the shooting death of Jason Baum. As required in a capital murder conviction, 78th District Court Judge Meredith Kennedy sentenced Vrana to life in prison without parole.
A Wichita County deputy immediately handcuffed Vrana, 22, who had been free on bail. Crying could be heard inside and outside the courtroom as the five-day trial concluded.
Chief Felony Prosecutor Dobie Kosub never argued that Vrana was the triggerman on the night Baum was killed in June 2020, but contended throughout the trial that Vrana was ringleader of a "crew" that engaged in armed robberies.
"You're looking at the quarterback, folks," Kosub told jurors in his closing arguments, an allusion to Vrana's time with the Hirschi High School football team.
"He had to be the bad guy. He had to be the thug. He had to be in the crew," Kosub said.
Vrana was the starting quarterback for the Hirschi High School varsity football team for three seasons from 2015 to 2017. He led the Huskies to the state quarterfinals his senior year and is the program’s all-time leading passer.
The last day of the trial was moved from the 78th District Courtroom to the larger 30th District Courtroom and a contingent of Wichita County deputies and Wichita Falls Police officers stood guard inside and outside the courtroom.
The prosecution alleged Vrana and his crew drove to an alley behind a house on Meadow Lake Drive intending to steal marijuana. Baum and some companions arrived in another car and gunfire broke out. Baum was shot twice and died in the alley.
During testimony the prosecution homed in on a pair of Vrana's shoes and a ski mask that tied Vrana to the crime, showing jurors text messages in which Vrana instructed his girlfriend to get rid of the articles.
Kosub also displayed text messages that showed Vrana giving orders to others about robbing participants in a dice game. A woman also testified Vrana was present when one of his crew began shooting as a drug transaction in a parking lot turned into a robbery.
The robbery element was necessary to the prosecution's case to make the murder a capital offense.
In an unusual move, Vrana insisted on testifying on his own defense, which opened the door for Kosub to bring in new elements into the trial that were damaging to Vrana.
"Don't listen to this self-serving crap he tried to feed you," Kosub told jurors Wednesday.
Defense attorney John Stickels called no witnesses, but during his closing arguments told jurors the case against Vrana could not be a capital offense because the state had not proved a robbery. He also argued no fingerprints were found that tied Vrana to the crime.
After the verdict was announced, Baum's mother read letters from the victim's wife and grandfather.
"These guys took away something that is irreplaceable. An eye for an eye -- that's justice," she said.
After the trial Kosub said he was "relieved for the family, beyond thankful for the jurors and ecstatic with the police department," which he said put in many hours on the case.
Dimonique McKinney and Sammy Worthy IV are awaiting trial in the murder. Another suspect Antwan Williams, 17, is being handled as a juvenile.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Vrana convicted of capital murder in Jason Baum shooting
