Suspect in violent robbery of Vietnamese woman in Houston that left her disabled was out on $100 bond for weapons charge

One of the two Houston teens charged with the Aggravated Robbery with Serious Bodily Injury of 44-year-old mother Nhung Truong was out on a $100 bond related to a weapons charge before the incident. The encounter with Truong last month left her paralyzed and is being described as a "jugging" robbery.

17-year-old Joseph Harrell was granted a General Order bond of $100 for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon over an incident on January 26, 2023, according to The Texan.

On Friday, Harrell and 19-year-old Zy'Nika Ayesha Woods were hit with the charges over their alleged robbery of Truong, a Vietnamese immigrant, in Houston's Chinatown on February 13. 

The attack happened during the day after the victim had withdrawn money from an ATM. The suspects allegedly followed Truong after her withdrawal for roughly 24 miles as she ran a variety of errands.

Disturbing footage of the incident emerged following the attack. According to Detective Tyrus Fontenot, "Our male suspect here exited the vehicle driven by Miss Woods here and assaulted the victim first by trying to take her purse and her wallet."

"Eventually, after learning he didn't have the money she withdrew from the bank, he went back and assaulted her again by picking her up and slamming her down onto the concrete,"  the detective added.

The video shows the suspect bumping into the victim, leaving, and then returning to grab Truong's money, which was roughly $4,300.

The suspect then body slammed Truong, a mother of three, who was left permanently paralyzed and incapable of taking care of herself after the incident. 

She was treated for fractured ribs and a fractured spine.

According to court documents, Harrell was also charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in relation to a previous incident from February when he allegedly stole a different woman's purse and threatened her with a firearm.

The current accumulation of Harrell's bonds are $130,000, reduced from $240,000 on Thursday by Harris County District Criminal Court Judge Kristin Guiney and Woods' bond is set at $50,000.

Harrell's previous charge of unlawful possession of a weapon is a Class A Misdemeanor in the Texas criminal code "and although state law gives criminal court judges discretion in setting bond, most misdemeanor bonds in Harris County are subject to the terms of a consent decree approved by the federal court that mandates release without paying bail," reports the Texan.

Judge David Singer signed Harrell's previous bond release.