A Texas man reportedly confessed to killing two gas station clerks all in an attempt to steal lottery tickets to gain money for a new apartment, according to authorities.
Police said 21-year-old Davonta Mathis has been charged with murder in connection with the killing of 60-year-old Muhammad Hussain in Mesquite and 32-year-old Gopi Dasari in Dallas.
No time to comply
When talking with police, Mathis reportedly confessed to the killings and admitted that he didn't even give the men enough time to comply with his demands, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KDFW.
Mathis admitted to investigators that he used a stolen truck and a gun he purchased illegally to commit the crimes. He told authorities he did it to steal lottery tickets to help him get an apartment.
According to the affidavit, officials said he didn't seem to have any remorse for the murders. Mathis also told investigators that he was going to shoot himself while police were chasing him, but he couldn't find the gun.
The first incident
On Thursday, June 20, Mathis reportedly shot a clerk in the chest at a convenience store off West Burton Road in Mesquite. After shooting the clerk, Mathis then allegedly stole lottery tickets, according to the affidavit.
When talking with KDFW, Mesquite Police Sgt. Curtis Phillip said he believes the motive appears to be straight robbery. He said:
It was pretty heinous in the sense that neither clerk appears to have been even given the opportunity to comply.
Hussain was the first clerk shot, and Mathis reportedly told police he shot him “because of the way he looked.” This, of course, was referring to his skin color. He claimed that he didn't think the clerk would have been cooperative.
According to the affidavit, Mathis never even talked to the clerk. He told police he walked into the store, and Hussain looked at him, so he shot him, thinking he would run out and call the police if he didn't.
Sgt. Phillip said:
Again, I can't speak for what somebody would or wouldn't have done. But I would assume he would've probably just complied and given the man whatever he wanted.
Cashing in the tickets
Mathis left the store with the stolen lottery tickets. Police said he was seen on surveillance footage later on in Hillsboro, just north of Waco, cashing them in. Mathis is from Hillsboro, officials said.
Phillip said:
It's very hard to get into someone else's head. We can't really do that and know what they're thinking or why they're doing what they're doing, but certainly the behavior speaks for itself.
The second incident
According to police, Mathis also admitted to fatally shooting Dasari on Saturday, June 22. Dasari was a clerk at Fox Fuel in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood of Dallas.
Police were able to track down Mathis less than an hour later. They attempted to stop him during a traffic stop, but he fled. After a pursuit, he was arrested.
The affidavit states Mathis said he bought the pistol he allegedly used in the murders from a “man off the street” for $400. He said he was hoping to use the winnings from the lottery tickets to get an apartment.
Sgt. Phillip said:
What that would say is that this is someone who is just truly violent and doesn't have a lot of remorse for what they're doing or really any for that matter.
Mathis was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder, police said. He was booked into the Dallas County Jail and was being held on a $7.5 million bond.
Enjoy playing the Texas Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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