February 20, 2025 - Charges have been filed against a suspect arrested in the fatal shooting of a man found at 5899 Bellfort Avenue about 4:20 a.m. on May 22, 2024.

The suspect, Sean Donte Bullard, 26, is charged with murder in the 228th State District Court. A booking photo of Bullard is attached to this news release.

The victim is identified as Nicholas Batiste, 22.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant C. Duncan and Detective V. Nguyen reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call at the above address and found the victim, later identified as Mr. Batiste, unresponsive on a sidewalk. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene by Houston Fire Department paramedics.

At that time, there was no known motive or suspect(s).

Further investigation identified Bullard as the suspect in this case and he was subsequently charged. On Wednesday (February 19), Bullard was arrested in Tyler County, Texas by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force with assistance from the Tyler County Sherriff's Office.