Former Houston Police Officer Gerald Goines Convicted of Murder for Deadly 2019 Drug Raid

On Wednesday, a jury found ex-Houston police officer Gerald Goines guilty of two counts of murder in connection with a fatal 2019 drug raid that claimed the lives of Dennis Tuttle, 59, and his wife, Rhogena Nicholas, 58. The controversial “no-knock” raid, which allowed officers to enter the couple’s home without announcing themselves, ended in tragedy when both were shot and killed, along with their dog.

Prosecutors argued that Goines lied to obtain the search warrant, falsely portraying Tuttle and Nicholas as dangerous drug dealers. Goines initially claimed an informant had purchased heroin at the couple’s home from a man with a gun. However, he later changed his story, falsely stating that he personally bought the drugs.

Investigators revealed that only small amounts of marijuana and cocaine were found in the house, contradicting Goines’ portrayal of the couple as armed drug dealers. The false warrant led to the violent raid, which resulted in the deaths of Tuttle and Nicholas and left four officers wounded and a fifth injured.

Defense attorneys admitted that Goines had lied but argued that his false statements did not warrant a murder conviction. They claimed Tuttle and Nicholas were responsible for their own deaths, asserting they fired at officers during the raid.

The case also exposed systemic corruption within the Houston Police Department’s narcotics squad. Following the raid, Goines and over a dozen officers were indicted on various charges, leading to the dismissal of charges against some and the overturning of at least 22 convictions tied to Goines’ past cases. Goines now faces life in prison, with the jury set to determine his sentence during the trial’s punishment phase.

Goines faces up to life in prison ( Image: AP)