Katia Bougere was in court on Tuesday. He’s charged with murder in the death of Abdul Waziri, an Afghan refugee who fought alongside the U.S. Green Berets.
HOUSTON — The man accused of killing an Afghan refugee and a U.S. military interpreter made a court appearance Tuesday morning, but he wasn’t released from custody.
Katia Bougere, 31, is charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Abdul Waziri earlier this year.
In court on Tuesday, Bougere appeared along with an attorney and a bail bondsman. A judge set his bond at $75,000, but Bougere wasn’t able to post it, so he was ordered to remain in custody at the Harris County Jail.
Bougere’s attorney claimed he shot Waziri in self-defense, but prosecutors said evidence refuted those claims.
The shooting happened on April 27 at an apartment complex on Richmond Avenue, and it was caught on surveillance video, according to authorities.
The night of the shooting, police said Waziri was returning home to his wife and two daughters. Security footage shows his white Toyota pulling into the apartment complex gate, followed by another vehicle. Much of the incident is obscured by a carport, but witnesses said Waziri stopped near the front of the complex, turned on his hazard lights, and walked to the mailbox.
Witnesses said Bougere was driving a black sedan and became angry because Waziri was blocking his parking spot, leading to an argument, according to Houston police.
During the fight, Bougere allegedly pulled a gun and shot Waziri.
Houston police said Bougere confessed to the shooting, but after talking to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, he was released.
Three weeks after the shooting, Bougere still hadn’t been charged.
Earlier this month, loved ones publicly expressed concern that nothing had been done.
“It boggles my mind that a man who did so much for us to secure our freedom is going to come to the United States and die in Houston,” former Green Beret Master Sgt. Ben Hoffman, a friend of Waziri, said. “A lion of a man, but at the same time one of the most calm people that I’ve ever met. So peaceful.”
Last week, a grand jury returned a murder indictment against Bougere. However, instead of issuing an arrest warrant, the Harris County District Clerk’s Office issued a summons for Bougere to appear in court.
Before immigrating to Houston three years ago, Waziri fought alongside the U.S. Green Berets in Afghanistan against the Taliban.