HOUSTON – The sister of woman horrifically murdered in front of her three children was hustled out of a Houston courtroom, screaming and cursing Wednesday, after throwing her cellphone at the killer.
Bardo Bustos pleaded guilty to the death of Felicia Courtney-Barrios and was sentenced to 45 years behind bars.
He was charged with stabbing Barrios multiple times back in July 2014.
Amanda Courtney said later, "I don't know what I was trying, but I wanted to let him know no matter what, he was going to know my pain for my sister."
Courtney said she became emotional seconds after entering the 248th District Court with her her family to see Bustos plead guilty to murdering Barrios.
Prosecutor Sarah Seely said the state was planning to ask for a life sentence, but agreed to the plea bargain with the approval of the victim's parents to spare her three children from having to take the stand to testify.
"In my eight years as prosecutor, (it is) the most horrific and brutal murder I've ever seen committed," Seely said.
Barrios' children, now ages 9, 10, and 12, witnessed Bustos kill their mother at the family's apartment in the 6400 block of Sloan Street on July 4, 2014.
Police say Bustos stabbed Barrios 15 times in the face and chest, threw her from a second-floor balcony, then pinned her to the ground and attempted to pull out her teeth and tongue with a pair of pliers as the children and horrified neighbors watched.
"I'm going to still have that memory for the rest of my life," Courtney said.
She said she would have preferred that Bustos be given the death penalty.
"In jail, he can still smile," Courtney said. "He can still get what he wants in jail. He can still have friends, he can still communicate. He can still get letters, still have his family, talk to him. I can never talk to Feilicia again.
Under Texas law, Bustos will have to serve at least half his sentence before he can be eligible for parole. Courtney says if that day comes, she'll be at the hearing with her niece and nephews.
"To make sure he doesn't do this to another person's child again," she said.