On the night of February 24, 2024, 23-year-old Aaron James Robert was fatally shot while inside an apartment at the West End Crossing Apartments in Beaumont, Texas. The assailant fired a single round through a bedroom window, striking Robert in the head and causing his immediate death. At the time of the shooting, Robert was in the company of a female resident of the apartment complex.
The investigation led authorities to arrest 25-year-old Troy Delano Cheek Jr., the ex-boyfriend of the female resident. Evidence indicated that Cheek had recently ended his relationship with the woman and was not coping well with the breakup. Prior to the incident, he had been identified as a suspect in a burglary at her apartment, during which property was damaged. On the night of the shooting, Cheek reportedly called his ex-girlfriend, and when she asked him to stop contacting her, he allegedly responded, "I'm gonna show you."
Following his arrest, Cheek confessed to firing the shot through the bedroom window. He claimed that upon hearing sounds from the apartment that led him to believe his ex-girlfriend was with another man, he became enraged and fired a single round through the window. A 9mm handgun, matching the caliber of the shell casing found near the crime scene, was recovered from Cheek's residence.
Cheek's criminal history includes a 2019 conviction for injury to a child, for which he served time in a Texas prison. In light of his past offenses and the severity of the current charge, his bond was initially set at $75,000 but was subsequently increased to $850,000 by Justice of the Peace Naomi Doyle, who cited concerns about Cheek being a danger to the community.
Aaron Robert's untimely death has left a profound impact on his family and the local community. He is remembered as a loving father to his two young sons and a devoted family member. A GoFundMe campaign was established to assist with funeral expenses and to provide support for his children in the wake of this tragedy.
