HOUSTON – A Houston man was sentenced to life in prison for ambushing and shooting a man to death in 2022 in the Near Northside neighborhood, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said on Saturday.
“This was an ambush that happened in a Houston neighborhood at 11:30 in the morning,” Ogg said. “Everything about this crime speaks to a complete disregard for human life—we’re glad that the jury saw fit to hand down the maximum sentence.”
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Quinnton R. Allen, 30, shot and killed 29-year-old Luis Espinoza on June 18, 2022. He was sentenced by a Harris County jury.
Two years ago, Espinoza had been driving a white Jeep Cherokee by a convenience store near Fairbanks Street and Gano Street. Then Allen walked into the street in front of the other man’s vehicle.
They knew each other, and they started talking. Allen spoke to Espinoza for about two minutes, then he took out a semi-automatic 9mm pistol out of his backpack and fired seven shots.
He struck Espinoza six times.
The victim’s car had not been in park, and his car moved away and collided with a pole. Allen then ran to a silver Dodge Avenger, where a driver was waiting for him. They later fled from the location.
The driver has still not been identified.
Police were called to the scene and they saw surveillance video of the shooting. They then arrested Allen.
Assistant District Attorney Nancy Ta, a chief in the DA’s Trial Bureau, and ADA Gina Gilmore, who is also in the Trial Bureau, prosecuted Allen in a four-day trial.
“We know that this was an ambush because of the way it happened and the getaway car that picked up the defendant after the shooting,” Ta said. “We may never know why he did it, but it was an absolutely senseless murder.”