Bond raised for uncle indicted in shooting death of Fort Bend Marshall football player

Family members standing outside of a Harris County district courtroom on Friday, May 3, 2019 after a bond hearing for Richard Nico, who has been charged with manslaughter in the December shooting death of Drew Conley. less Family members standing outside of a Harris County district courtroom on Friday, May 3, 2019 after a bond hearing for Richard Nico, who has been charged with manslaughter in the December shooting death of Drew ... more Photo: Samantha Ketterer Photo: Samantha Ketterer Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Bond raised for uncle indicted in shooting death of Fort Bend Marshall football player 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

A Harris County state district judge has raised the bond of a man accused in the shooting death of his nephew, a Fort Bend Marshall football player.

Richard Nico, 52, made his first court appearance on Friday after being indicted on a manslaughter charge in the December shooting of 17-year-old Drew Conley.

Several family members sat in the audience as authorities took Nico back into custody. They wore buttons emblazoned with Conley’s face, and the words, “We love & miss you!”

“We feel good about the judge’s decision today,” Drew’s father, Derrick Conley, said after the bond hearing.

Police said that Drew Conley, a senior at Marshall, had been living with relatives at Nico’s home in the Fondren Gardens area of Houston when they told him he had to move out.

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The teen had argued with his uncle over the phone before returning to the house in the 6800 block of River Bluff around 11:45 p.m. on Dec. 10 to get his belongings, authorities said.

The two allegedly threatened each other, and Conley confronted Nico inside his bedroom, police said. Nico told officers he feared for his safety and shot his nephew with a rifle, striking him once in the upper leg as he approached.

A family member took Conley to a stand-alone emergency room, where he died.

Drew Conley’s mother, Joy, said she doesn’t believe the shooting was in self-defense.

“Our son did not have a weapon,” she said.

A grand jury indicted Nico on the charge last month, and he posted $10,000 bond. He was taken back into custody when Judge Ramona Franklin raised his bond to $70,000 on Friday.

Franklin also issued a protection order for two people Nico allegedly threatened, including a son.

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