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A Groves man who police believe choked his wife’s cousin to death after a night of watching football together was indicted this week on a charge of murder.

A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Jarvis Yarnell Cutten, 43, of Groves following the Oct. 26 death of Delvin Dewayne Simon, 33.

Cutten claimed to law enforcement the act was in self-defense, according to the affidavit for arrest warrant.

Groves Police Department officers responded to Amber Park Apartments, 5401 Gulfway Drive, at approximately 3:32 a.m. in response to the fire department performing CPR on a possible assault victim.

Cutten reportedly told police Simon came to his house to watch football the night before and at about midnight Simon went to bed and later woke up and met Cutten on his porch.

Cutten told police he shined a light in Simon’s face when Simon allegedly attacked him unprovoked while striking Cutten in the face.

During the altercation, Cutten was able to wrestle Simon to the ground and apply his forearm to the front of Simon’s neck, the document stated. Cutten told police he was unable to say how long he did this but did state he put his full weight into the pressure.

He indicated to police, the document continued, and had his wife call her father and eventually the EMS was contacted after Simon was not conscious.

Simon was taken to The Medical Center of Southeast Texas, where he was pronounced dead by medical staff at 4:44 a.m.

The last homicide in the city of Groves occurred in 2014, police authorities said.

Jarvis Cutten remains in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on a $500,000 bond, according to the jail roster.

An indictment is not a final conviction of guilt; it is only a ruling by the grand jury that allows the district attorney’s office to proceed with a criminal case.