Christopher Earl

A Flint man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for using his hands, feet and a cane to cause injuries that ultimately killed his stepfather two days before Christmas in 2019.

A jury of 12 Smith County residents found Christopher Earl, 35, guilty of murder in the 7th District Court Wednesday in connection with the death of his 73-year-old stepfather Roy Bailey.

One day after his conviction, jurors sentenced Earl to life in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison, according to court records.

Earl’s trial began Monday in the 7th District Court with opening statements from Assistant District Attorney Richard Vance. The presentation of evidence started Tuesday.

According to the murder indictment, Earl hit Bailey with his hand and kicked Bailey in the head and struck him with a blunt object (a cane). On Monday, Earl entered a not guilty plea.

Earl was booked on Christmas Day 2019 into the Smith County Jail, and he remained there until Nov. 3 this year. He was rebooked into jail on Wednesday.

On Tuesday in court, Earl’s mother said her son was staying at the home she owned with Bailey, and the one condition to stay was for him to get a job.

She said Earl had not found a job as of Dec. 23, 2019. Bailey was frustrated Earl had not yet found employment.

She and Earl were in the kitchen together, and Bailey said at one point, “you can get out of my house.” Earl asked what Bailey said and Bailey repeated it.

She said she heard a thump, and Bailey said, “you done hit me.”

Earl’s mother said she got in between them, and Earl tried to get his mother out of the way. He struck Bailey again. She got in the way again and she and Bailey fell.

Vance told the jurors Earl also made a conscious decision to go from using his fist to a wooden cane, which was used to help Bailey walk, on top of Bailey’s head.

The Smith County District Attorney’s Office said Earl started kicking the victim, and in the process, he also broke his mother’s arm while she tried to protect Bailey.

Earl’s mother asked him to leave, to which Earl said, “I don’t have any money.” She had to give him money to leave, Vance said.

Bailey, who did not want to get treatment, begrudgingly went to the hospital the next day. There, doctors discovered swelling and a cut on his head, a swollen wrist and cracked bones in his wrist.

Bailey sustained two brain hemorrhages and eventually fell into a coma. About three weeks later, the victim died from his injuries.

Vance said Earl’s mother ultimately had to end Bailey’s life support.

Bailey led a life of service and served in the Vietnam War. He experienced health problems and sometimes walked with a cane. He was also on dialysis treatment, Vance told the jury.