A man has been sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting an attorney at a McDonald’s in south Texas after the victim tried to intervene during a confrontation with employees.
Anthony Landry, 59, received the life sentence on Thursday for the murder of 46-year-old Jeffrey Limmer, according to the Houston Chronicle. The jury reached a guilty verdict in just 20 minutes the day before.
Authorities said the incident began around 6 p.m. on May 4, 2024, when Landry became upset over a Filet-O-Fish sandwich order. The Houston McDonald’s along the Katy Freeway was busy with customers and staff when Landry discovered his sandwich was missing a patty and demanded a $1.41 refund.
Limmer stepped in, reportedly telling Landry to leave and physically pushing him out the door, which caused Landry to fall. Landry then retrieved a gun from his vehicle, returned to the restaurant, and shot Limmer nine times.
Despite efforts by customers and employees to help, Limmer was pronounced dead at the scene. Houston Police later identified Landry as wanted for murder; he turned himself in a week after the shooting.
Limmer was an associate at the Houston office of Lewis Brisbois. His sister, Jennifer Thomas, said he had a natural instinct to defuse tense situations.
“Knowing Jeff, he’s the one who always says, ‘Calm down. It’s not that big of a deal,’ and tries to redirect the situation,” Thomas told local ABC affiliate KTRK. “He always wanted to fight for the little guy and do the right thing.” She added that Limmer often visited the McDonald’s near his home and “loved fiercely his family and friends. Always laughing, making jokes, and just loving life.”
Court records show Landry had been out on bond following a February arrest for aggravated assault, in which he allegedly struck a family member with a cane.