HOUSTON, TX — A Houston criminal defense attorney who also serves as a Republican judicial candidate was charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing his roommate late on June 27, according to court records and Houston police.
Michael Stuart Driver, 46, faces a murder charge in the death of Jesse Reyes, who court records describe as Driver’s roommate and personal bodyguard. The shooting took place around 11:55 p.m. at a home in the 1600 block of Vassar Street in Houston’s University Place neighborhood. Driver claims self-defense, telling investigators it was a “kill or be killed” situation. The case carries added weight because Driver has a close relative employed by the very office responsible for prosecuting him — a conflict serious enough that the Harris County District Attorney’s Office has moved to remove itself from the case entirely.
Houston Police Department officers responding to a shooting call on the night of June 27 were flagged down by Driver himself near the Vassar Street home, according to police. Driver told officers he was the shooter. He said he and Reyes, whom he described as his best friend of roughly two years, had gotten into a physical altercation inside the residence. Driver told investigators that at some point during the fight, Reyes got into his face and became violent, according to court documents. Driver further alleged that Reyes attempted to gouge out his left eye, and that he feared for his life before drawing a firearm and shooting Reyes multiple times. Investigators recovered a .45-caliber handgun in the dining room of the home. Reyes, 48 according to Fox 26 Houston and 45 according to KPRC, was pronounced dead. Police preliminary reports confirmed both men lived together at the residence.
Court documents filed in Harris County identify Driver as the principal attorney of Driver Law Firm, a Houston-based practice he has operated for approximately seven years. On the firm’s website, Driver describes himself as a seasoned Texas trial attorney recognized for courtroom advocacy and strategic litigation in high-stakes cases across the state. Beyond his legal career, Driver is also a Republican candidate running for judge of Harris County’s 208th District Court, making his arrest on a murder charge a significant development in local legal and political circles. Court records list Jesse Reyes not only as Driver’s roommate but specifically as his bodyguard, a designation that raises questions investigators have not yet publicly addressed about the nature of their professional arrangement.
The case has triggered an unusual legal conflict of interest. Driver is related to Stephen Driver, who serves as the Chief of the Grand Jury Division for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, according to KPRC 2. Because of that family connection, the Harris County DA’s Office filed a motion to appoint an attorney pro tem and to disqualify itself from prosecuting the case. Prosecutors have contacted the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office about a possible pro tem appointment to handle the matter independently. KPRC 2 reported that it reached out to the Harris County DA’s Office for comment on both the case and the family relationship but had not received a response as of Monday afternoon. The conflict underscores the sensitivity of a prosecution involving a defense attorney whose relative holds a senior position within the prosecuting office.
Driver’s self-defense claim places the case within a legal framework Texas courts regularly navigate. Under Texas law, a person may use deadly force if they reasonably believe it is immediately necessary to protect themselves against another’s use or attempted use of deadly force. Driver’s account — that Reyes became physically aggressive, got in his face, and attempted to gouge his eye — forms the basis of that claim, according to court documents. However, investigators have not publicly confirmed or denied physical evidence that corroborates Driver’s account of the altercation. No additional witnesses have been publicly identified. The investigation remains active, and no trial date has been set. Driver’s next court appearance had not been publicly announced as of the time of reporting.
Neighbors and others familiar with the University Place area, a residential neighborhood near Rice University in southwest Houston, had not yet been quoted publicly in connection with the incident. The shooting occurred well after midnight, and the area drew police attention quickly following the initial call. Driver’s decision to flag down responding officers and identify himself as the shooter was noted in police reports as a key early development in the investigation. Court documents make clear that Driver’s self-defense claim was communicated to investigators from the start. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office, through its motion to disqualify, signaled early that the prosecution pathway for this case would be handled outside the normal chain. Fort Bend County prosecutors have not yet publicly confirmed accepting the appointment.
As of Monday, Driver remained charged with murder in Harris County. The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office is expected to determine whether it will accept appointment as attorney pro tem, a decision that will shape how the prosecution moves forward. Driver’s dual roles — as a defense attorney and active judicial candidate — ensure the case will draw continued scrutiny from the local legal community and beyond.
