A Texas man faces a attainable demise sentence after being convicted of fatally capturing a regulation officer

EL PASO, Texas — A Texas man faces both the demise penalty or life in jail with out parole after being convicted of fatally capturing a west Texas deputy sheriff.

A jury in El Paso deliberated for about half-hour Thursday earlier than discovering Facundo Chavez, 31, responsible of capital homicide within the 2019 demise of El Paso County deputy Peter Herrera throughout a site visitors cease.

Chavez admitted throughout testimony that he shot and beat Herrera and stated he did so as a result of his girlfriend, who was with him on the time, stated Herrera had harassed her.

Prosecutors argued that Herrera didn’t know who was within the automobile he had stopped for a site visitors violation shortly earlier than 2 a.m. as a result of the automobile was unfamiliar and the site visitors cease was in a darkish space.

Authorities say Chavez fired 15 photographs at Herrera, then beat the deputy with the gun, after getting out of the stopped automobile on the deputy’s request.

The jury will now take into account whether or not to condemn Chavez to demise or life in jail.

Herrera died two days after the March 2019 capturing in San Elizario, close to the U.S.-Mexico border on the southeastern outskirts of El Paso. Authorities had initially stated Herrera was anticipated to outlive his wounds due to the physique armor he was sporting.

Chavez’s girlfriend, Arlene Pina, was initially charged with capital homicide within the capturing, however later pleaded responsible to manslaughter as a part of a plea deal and is serving a 15-year jail sentence.