A Maud, Texas, man is standing by a not guilty plea for a March robbery that resulted in the death of a store employee.
Keyshawn Deiron Wickware, 28, had his second appearance before 5th District Judge Bill Miller last week where he maintained a not guilty plea on a capital murder charge.
He is being represented by Jeff Harrelson of the Bowie County Public Defenders Office. First Assistant District Attorney Kelly Crisp is representing the State.
Wickware is charged in the shooting death of Denyle K. Pierce, 47, also of Maud.
If convicted, he faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
According to officials, a witness called 911 just before 8 p.m. on March 8 to report an armed robbery at Maud’s Family Dollar and the shooting of a clerk at the store, later identified as Pierce.
According to the store clerk, Wickware was a regular in the Family Dollar located at 424 Broadway and was well known to the employees and management at the store by sight but did not know his name, the probable cause affidavit said.
A description of the suspect’s vehicle was given to responding Bowie County Sheriff’s deputies and surveillance video inside the store captured images of the suspect. The images provided deputies with a visual of the gun used and an accurate description of the suspect’s clothing, which were described as “very unique.”
The vehicle, a burnt orange Buick Encore, was later located outside of Wickware’s apartment and authorities were given verbal consent to search the property. A gun and clothing matching those depicted in the surveillance video were located and recovered, Sheriff Jeff Neal wrote in a March press release.
Wickware was placed under arrest and booked into the Bi-State Justice Center jail for capital murder.
He is also facing charges of attempted assault of a peace officer and terroristic threats against a peace officer. The additional charges are stemming from an unrelated incident that occurred at CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital in June 2024.
In that incident, officers were called to the hospital after Wickware allegedly began punching walls, threw a chair and was being combative with hospital staff. Wickware was being seen at the hospital because family members said Wickware had attempted to harm himself by setting his vehicle’s backseat on fire, according to the probable cause affidavit.
When officers arrived on scene, they said they noticed cuts on Wickware’s fists which they said were consistent with punching a wall but left because he had calmed. They were dispatched again about 15 minutes later and asked to restrain Wickware to be treated by hospital staff because he was allegedly assaulting staff, the affidavit said.
If convicted, Wickware could receive two to ten years in prison for the assault charge and six months to two years in a state jail for the terroristic threat charge.
Harrelson told the court his office is awaiting medical documents from the Veterans Affairs hospital which had previously treated Wickware.
Keyshawn Wickware
