Kyle McClenagan / Houston Public Media
The Turkey Leg Hut at 4830 Almeda Rd. was a business in Houston’s Third Ward.
One of the former owners of the now-defunct Turkey Leg Hut pleaded guilty Thursday to hiring others to burn down a Houston bar owned by a former business partner, according to the U.S Attorney’s Office and federal court records.
Lyndell Price, 42, admitted to authorities that he directed others to set fire to Bar 5015, a Houston business on Almeda Road owned by Steve Rogers, a former business partner of Price. According to court documents, the fire was set shortly after Rogers had refused to sell his interest in Turkey Leg Hut.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Price paid Armani Williams and Miziah Shepherd, both 27, to set fire to the property. Both Williams and Shepherd previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the fire, which occurred on the morning of June 12, 2020. The men “poured gasoline across the entrance ramp and deck” of the bar before setting the gasoline on fire, federal prosecutors said.
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Houston Police Department
Price faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000. Price, Williams and Shepherd all have their sentencing set for Sept. 25.
A defense attorney for Price did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Another man, John Price, pleaded guilty earlier this year for his role in the fire and has not yet been sentenced, according to court documents.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the bar suffered “significant damage,” and the fire endangered nearby homes, commercial properties and electrical infrastructure.
In January 2023, the Turkey Leg Hut was sued for $1.3 million by the national food distributor US Foods for alleged unpaid fees.
Turkey Leg Hut later filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2024 after its lease was terminated, according to bankruptcy court records.
Nakia Holmes, another co-owner of the former restaurant, is holding a pop-up food event on Saturday afternoon at a nearby location, according to her recent post on Instagram.