At a Glance
- Jonathan Ross Mata, 39, shot and killed 25-year-old Amazon driver Desmond Butler after mistaking him for his daughter’s boyfriend.
- The Dec. 25, 2025, incident unfolded at a Houston gas station when Mata’s wife chased Butler’s Honda, believing their daughter was inside.
- Mata fired two shots, Butler crashed into a pole, and Mata later confessed to police, saying he never called 911 because he was “scared.”
- Why it matters: A young man lost his life in a split-second case of mistaken identity, exposing the deadly consequences of vigilante assumptions.
A Texas father is charged with murder after allegedly gunning down an Amazon delivery driver he believed was his daughter’s abuser in a tragic case of mistaken identity.
Houston police say Jonathan Ross Mata, 39, opened fire on Desmond Butler, 25, in a gas-station parking lot shortly after 1 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2025, then fled the scene without calling for help.
The Fatal Mix-Up
Surveillance video released by the Houston Police Department shows the moment the confusion turned deadly.
Butler, driving a gray Honda Pilot, pulled into the station in the 9900 block of Bellaire. Mata’s black GMC Acadia sat at a pump. As Butler passed, Mata’s wife leaped out and chased the Honda, yanking at the rear passenger door because she thought Mata’s daughter was inside.
Mata exited the SUV and fired at least two rounds toward the Honda as it sped away.
Butler, struck by the gunfire, crashed into a pole in an adjacent lot. Paramedics rushed him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The 911 Call That Never Came
Court documents obtained by local outlet KHOU 11 reveal a chilling aftermath:
- Mata approached the crashed Honda, opened the door, and looked inside.
- He told Butler’s female passenger he was searching for his “kidnapped” daughter, apologized, and claimed he would call 911.
- The promised call never happened.
Three weeks later, Mata, his wife, and their attorney walked into Houston police headquarters. Mata allegedly confessed to the shooting, telling detectives he fired only to stop the car and did not realize he had hit anyone.
He admitted he failed to phone emergency services because he was “scared.”
From Georgia to Houston
Butler’s family told KHOU 11 that the young man had moved from Georgia to Houston in 2023 to work for Amazon, rising to manager.
His sister, Destiny, said the family is “devastated.”
> “We just want answers on why him. My brother was a light of joy,” she said. “We’re keeping each other tight and close and keeping his memories alive.”
The Charges and Court Date
Mata turned himself in on Jan. 14, 2026, and was booked into the Harris County Jail. He posted $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 25, 2026.
Police emphasized that Mata and Butler did not know each other.
According to investigators, Mata and his wife had received a phone call from their daughter claiming she had been assaulted by her boyfriend. They drove to the gas station expecting the boyfriend to drop her off there. When they saw Butler’s Honda, they mistook his female passenger for their daughter.
Key Takeaways
- A single phone call and a dark parking lot led to a fatal error.
- An Amazon worker with no connection to the family lost his life.
- Mata now faces a murder charge while Butler’s relatives seek justice and answers.
