Court documents identify the suspect as Jayla Brown and the victim as 21-year-old Keylan Foreman.
HOUSTON, Texas — A Houston woman has been charged with murder after authorities say a screwdriver was used in a violent confrontation that left a 21-year-old man fatally injured near Laura Koppe Road and Lockwood Drive. The attack happened Dec. 27 in northeast Houston, and the victim died weeks later, according to court filings and the medical examiner.
Investigators say the case reached a turning point after they reviewed surveillance video from a nearby business, which they contend contradicted the suspect’s account and showed a prolonged assault with a long, thin object in hand. Prosecutors have filed a murder charge as detectives continue to examine the timeline between the late-December attack and the victim’s mid-January death. The case is in its early court stages, with a bond set and the suspect being held in the Harris County Jail, records show. The incident has renewed attention on intimate-partner violence and the role of video evidence in charging decisions.
According to charging documents, 23-year-old Jayla Brown told detectives she and her on-and-off boyfriend, Keylan Foreman, argued outside her vehicle on Dec. 27. Brown claimed Foreman hit her during the dispute. Investigators say video from a nearby business did not support that claim. Instead, detectives wrote that the footage shows Brown strike Foreman, knock him to the ground, and continue attacking him while holding a long, slender object in her right hand. Police describe that object as consistent with a screwdriver. Brown told investigators she tried to drive Foreman to the hospital but stopped for gas and asked someone at a station to call 911. Responding officers found Foreman unconscious and bleeding before paramedics rushed him to a hospital, according to the documents.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences reported that Foreman died Jan. 19, and the autopsy attributed his fatal injuries to a screwdriver wound, according to the court file. Officials have not publicly detailed what sparked the argument. Detectives said they are still sorting out the movements of both people before the assault and gathering additional statements. As of Monday, Brown remained in the Harris County Jail on a $150,000 bond set over the weekend, online jail records show. Authorities have not announced any additional arrests. Prosecutors did not specify whether they will seek to enhance charges, and the case will proceed in a Harris County district court.
Family members said Foreman fought for weeks after the attack. His mother, Mekelle Foreman, described the loss as “a different kind of hurt” and said her son’s presence filled rooms and lifted relatives’ spirits. His brother, Ashton Foreman, remembered him as “the life of the party” who remained protective of those around him. Relatives said Foreman began to communicate during rehabilitation but suffered a downturn one night when he complained of a severe headache and then had a seizure. He died a little more than three weeks after the attack, the family said.
Court records identify Brown as the sole defendant in the case. The filings say detectives relied on surveillance footage, interviews, and medical findings to support the murder charge. The documents state that Brown acknowledged attempting to take Foreman for treatment but said she lacked fuel, prompting the stop at a gas station where the 911 call was made. Investigators have not said whether additional video exists from that stop. Authorities also have not provided details on the exact model of the tool they say was used or if it has been recovered. The precise length of the object and the number of injuries remain undisclosed.
Foreman’s killing occurred in a busy corridor of northeast Houston lined with small businesses and gas stations near the intersection of Laura Koppe Road and Lockwood Drive. Residents described steady traffic and bright lighting in the area at night. While police have not released a detailed incident map, the reference points in the complaint place the confrontation within a short drive of several residential complexes and convenience stores, a cluster where surveillance cameras are common. Investigators say the nearby business footage became key in assessing the competing accounts and in building a sequence of events.
Brown’s initial appearance is expected in a Harris County district court this week. Prosecutors typically outline probable cause at early hearings and may request conditions such as GPS monitoring or no-contact orders in similar cases. A defense attorney had not been listed in public court records as of early Monday. The district clerk’s docket will set deadlines for discovery, and future dates could include an examining trial or a grand jury review depending on the procedural route prosecutors choose. Officials have not indicated whether additional charges could be added if more evidence emerges.
Outside the formal proceedings, friends and relatives have begun planning remembrances, with family members emphasizing Foreman’s youth and the short span between the December assault and the January death. “We just didn’t get to bring him home,” said Ivy Hayes, Foreman’s aunt. Neighbors near the corridor said the case has been a topic of conversation at local stores and car washes. Drivers slowed past the stretch Monday morning, with several residents saying they hoped the video evidence helps the court understand what happened that night.
As of Monday morning, the criminal case remained active in county court with Brown in custody on a $150,000 bond and no trial date set. The next milestone is an initial court appearance expected this week, followed by routine filings and discovery. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and that they have not released a motive beyond the argument described in the complaint.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.