04/18/2026
WALLER COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
MEDIA RELEASE
Ronald Brandyburg Convicted by Jury of Murder
On Friday, April 17, 2026, a Waller County jury reached a verdict on a jury trial held in the 506th District Court with Judge Gary Chaney presiding. After four days of evidence, the jury returned with a guilty verdict after 24 minutes of deliberation.
Brandyburg was convicted of the 2020 murder of January 14, 2020 murder of Brookshire resident Clifford Richard.
Brandyburg was convicted of killing Richard using a box cutter to cut Richard's neck. The jury heard from three eyewitnesses to the murder, a paramedic who treated and transported Mr. Richard, a medical examiner from Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, a former Brookshire Police Department officer, Texas Ranger Jeffrey Wolf and Dr. Michael Arambula. Defense was seeking to offer mental health evidence which was ultimately deemed irrelevant to the murder as it did not affect the Defendant's ability to know right from wrong.
During closing arguments, Assistant Criminal District Attorney Darian Etienne stated that the Defendant's flat affect while he killed Richard was not a sign of he wasn't aware of what he was doing as defense argued, but rather an indication of his dangerousness when after cutting Richard the first time, came back and said, "you ain't dead yet?" Brandyburg then cut Mr. Richard's neck a second time. Richard died enroute to the ER.
The State of Texas was represented by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Darian Etienne and Bennett Dodson.
Punishment will be determined at a subsequent hearing before Judge Gary Chaney at a later date to bexset following the completion of a pre-sentence investigation.
The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, Brookshire Police Department, Waller County EMS, Waller County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers for their dedication to this investigation and these victims.
Assistant Criminal District Attorney Bennett Dodson said, "This was a brutal, public killing witnessed by multiple people. We prosecuted it with that in mind. We are grateful to all the members of the community who came and testified to bring justice for Clifford Richard. Anyone contemplating a heinous act like this should know that Waller County will not let it go unpunished."
Waller County Criminal District Attorney Sean Whittmore said, “The road to justice is sometimes long, but my office will continue to fight for victims of senseless violence. Waller County Criminal District Attorney's Office is here to seek justice, and we will seek it no matter how long it takes.”
Sean G. Whittmore
Waller County Criminal District Attorney
