Jurors watch dash, body camera footage of El Paso Sheriff’s deputy’s murder
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The jurors, judge, defense and prosecution teams, and victim's family were shown more than 20 minutes of footage from the dash camera of Deputy Pete Herrera, from the morning he was killed on March 22nd, 2019, in court Thursday morning.
The footage showed the deputy pulling over his alleged killer, Facundo Chavez, after he drove by with his high beams. Chavez is currently on trial for Herrera's murder.
The prosecution began today's proceedings by hearing testimony from a witness inside the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Detective Moises Gutierrez, who was working in EPCSO's Major Crime unit at the time of the deadly shooting.
The court was also able to see around 5 minutes of footage from Dep. Herrera's body camera.
ABC-7 has had a crew inside of the courtroom since the start of the trial Wednesday. The judge does not allow cameras inside.
The footage also shows a female passenger, identified as Arlene Piña, moving around inside the vehicle, then exiting the car.
Dep. Herrera asks Piña to get back in the vehicle as he approaches the driver's side window.
Chavez is then seen sticking his face and hands out of the car. Deputy Herrera asked for his license and insurance. Chavez gives him what he refers to as "his ID".
Dep. Herrera asks Chavez if he has any weapons on him, and he replies "no, sir."
Herrera then asks Chavez to exit the vehicle, and as Chavez exits his car, he pulls out what appears to a pistol, shooting at Dep. Herrera's head. Court documents previously reported that the gun fired around 15 rounds.
Detective Gutierrez, who was being asked about the video, told the courtroom it appeared that Dep. Herrera was hit "more than 10 times," including at least once in the head.
Chavez is charged with capital murder.
Piña was sentenced to 15 years on a reduced charge of manslaughter in May of 2022.
The defense team alleges that Deputy Herrera had a "relationship" Piña, who was Chavez's girlfriend at the time of the shooting. Deputy Herrera was married and his family has consistently denied any impropriety on Herrera's part. Earlier this year, a judge ordered Herrera's phone be turned over to the defense team.
