Terrius Randolph, 23, was convicted of capital murder in connection with the shooting death of 67-year-old Oluwafemi Joseph Ogundana, a visitor from Nigeria. Ogundana was scheduled to return to Nigeria two days after his murder. The incident occurred in August 2019 when Randolph, then 18 years old, lured Ogundana under false pretenses through an online marketplace.
According to court proceedings, Randolph posed as a seller on LetGo, offering phones for sale under an alias. Ogundana, who was purchasing phones to bring back to Nigeria, responded to the advertisement and arranged to meet Randolph in his neighborhood. Upon meeting, Randolph proceeded to rob Ogundana at gunpoint.
Eyewitness testimony revealed that during the robbery, Ogundana pleaded with Randolph not to shoot, yelling “Get out, get out, don’t shoot don’t shoot”. Despite the victim's pleas, Randolph fired, striking Ogundana in the leg. The gunshot severed Ogundana's femoral artery, causing him to succumb to his injuries shortly thereafter.
Detectives from the Dallas Police Department, led by Detective Scott Sayers, swiftly identified Randolph as the suspect. A witness who worked nearby provided crucial information to the police, including Randolph's description and the direction he fled. Four days after the crime, an anonymous tip led authorities to Randolph's location in a local motel, where he was subsequently apprehended by the DPD Fugitive Unit.
After a thorough trial, the jury found Randolph guilty of capital murder and sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In addition to this conviction, Randolph faces separate charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping in Collin County.
The case was prosecuted by lead attorney Sarah Hayes and second chair Tommy Adams Jr., with assistance from investigators Juan Carranza and Raul Obregon. Special recognition was given to Chris Cec, Irene Duong, Tamika Coy, and ADA Jaclyn O'Connor for their contributions to the investigation and prosecution.
