Sheriff says no clue to motive in fatal shooting of deputy in Houston

Houston • The man charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a uniformed suburban Houston sheriff's deputy had a lengthy criminal record going back a decade but never spent more than short stints in jail.

Shannon J. Miles, whose criminal record includes convictions for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct with a firearm, was to be arraigned Monday in the shooting of Darren Goforth, a 10-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Miles' arrest Saturday came less than 24 hours after authorities said he ambushed Goforth at a suburban Houston Chevron station.

Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman said the attack was "clearly unprovoked," and there is no evidence that Goforth knew Miles. Investigators have no information from Miles that would shed light on his motive, Hickman said.

"Our assumption is that [Goforth] was a target because he wore a uniform," the sheriff said.

Miles' criminal record began in 2005, when he was convicted of criminal mischief, giving false information to police and resisting arrest, according to records. In 2006, he was convicted of disorderly conduct with a firearm and sentenced to a maximum of 15 days in jail. He was convicted of evading arrest in 2007, and his most recent conviction came in 2009 for again resisting arrest.

Records show that the 30-year-old Houston resident was sentenced to several short stints in jail, anywhere from 6 to 10 days.

Court and jail records did not list an attorney for Miles and attempts to reach his family members Sunday were unsuccessful.

Goforth, 47, was pumping gas at a Chevron station Friday night in Cypress, northwest of Houston, when the gunman approached him from behind and fired multiple shots, continuing to fire after the deputy had fallen to the ground.