A teenager has been found guilty of murder for orchestrating a heinous plan to rob and kill his girlfriend’s grandmother. Uriah Lee Urick Jr. was convicted on November 7 for the February murder of 61-year-old Tammy King, who was the grandmother of his girlfriend, Tara King. Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including text messages and digital communications that detailed Urick’s scheme to carry out the robbery and murder, allegedly in collaboration with Tara King, who was 17 at the time.
Court records revealed conversations where the teenagers discussed their intent to abduct and murder Tammy while stealing her money, methamphetamine, and firearms. The prosecution emphasized various messages indicating premeditation, such as references to possessing ammunition that could cause severe harm and planning the murder at a specific time. Urick referred to the killing as the beginning of their future together.
Tammy was shot in the head on February 5 at her residence in Bacliff, located approximately 30 minutes from Galveston, Texas. Her body was discovered several days later during a welfare check, concealed under blankets. Investigators alleged that after the murder, the teenagers stole money from a secure lockbox, which resulted in an escalated charge of capital murder. Additionally, authorities found substantial funds transferred from Tammy’s bank account to Tara’s Cash App.
According to court documents, Urick’s mother expressed concerns to investigators about her son’s potential for violence, citing Tara’s resentment towards her grandmother for not permitting Urick to stay overnight. Urick’s stepfather also indicated that he believed Urick had violent tendencies that could lead to such a crime.
Following the murder, Urick and Tara traveled to Laredo near the US-Mexico border, reportedly hitchhiking and staying with individuals they met online before being apprehended on February 9. A witness testified that he had driven the couple to Laredo and mentioned Urick offering him money while expressing distress over the smell of burning flesh during the journey. This witness ultimately assisted law enforcement in locating the weapons used in the murder.
The defense argued that the killing was not premeditated but the consequence of two inexperienced teenagers influenced by drugs seeking independence rather than financial gain. They contested the prosecution’s assertion that robbery was a motive. In Texas, a conviction for capital murder results in an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Sheriff Jimmy Fullen of Galveston County stated that justice had been served for Tammy King and her family following the verdict. Tara King faces charges of capital murder and is set to face trial in January 2026.