A Houston jury has found a 28-year-old man guilty of gunning down a young father in broad daylight.
Luis Alejandro Valencia was sentenced to 55 years in prison for murdering 29-year-old Erik Villeda on Feb. 12, 2022.
Recommended Videos
“We are thankful to the jury who recognized that this defendant went to extraordinary lengths to find and then gun down an unarmed man in broad daylight,” said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in a press release. “Justice mandates that this killer spend decades behind bars for taking the life of a young father and husband who should have lived to see his kids grow up.”
The motive isn’t exactly clear, but testimony revealed Villeda and his wife were apparently having marital issues that Valencia found out about.
According to court records, Valencia tracked down Villeda at a club in southeast Houston and called him over to his vehicle.
Witnesses say Valencia told Villeda he’d been talking to his wife, which made Villeda mad.
Valencia, still in his SUV, pulled a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and started shooting at Villeda, who tried to get away. Valencia emptied his 16-round magazine, hitting Valencia four times in the back and killing him.
Valencia took off but left his cowboy hat behind with his DNA that identified him as the shooter.
The following day, Valencia was caught at Bush Intercontinental Airport trying to go through security with two knives and 75 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
While in custody at the Harris County Jail, Valencia was also charged with attempted escape as he tried to dig his way out of the jail.
“This murder was particularly heinous because he initiated the confrontation and then shot an unarmed man in the back multiple times,” said Assistant District Attorney Andrew Figliuzzi in a press release. “Our community is sick of gun violence, and this verdict, 55 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, shows that.”