El Paso jury finds man not guilty of 1994 murders
Update (4:50 PM): El Paso District Attorney James Montoya just issued a statement on the verdict. Read the statement in full below:
“While we are disappointed with the verdict, we respect the jury's decision. Cold cases
like this are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute, but I'm confident that our
team did the best job possible to bring clarity to the evidence that was collected more
than 30 years ago. I also want extend my deepest condolences to Santoni and Villa
families who have waited many, many years for their day in court.”District Attorney James Montoya
Update (3:42 PM): The jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on both counts of capital murder.
Update (3:38 PM): The judge has returned to the courtroom and is now awaiting the jury's return.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- On the third day of Arturo Garcia Ortega's trial for the 1994 murder of three El Pasoans, both the El Paso District Attorney's Office and Garcia's defense team presented their closing arguments in front of the selected jury.
Garcia is accused of killing Dante Santoni, 3, his mother Connie Villa, 28 and her longtime partner and Dante's father, Rafael Santoni, 58.
ABC-7 was in the court this morning for the third day of the trial, and Garcia was seen looking back at the crowd before it began. He then paid attention to the court translator while closing arguments were presented.
Assistant District Attorneys Rebecca Tarango and Talisa Gutierrez represented the state and the El Paso D.A.'s Office, while local defense attorneys Leonard Morales and Louis Lopez represented Garcia.
Both Lopez and Morales presented during their closing arguments what they called "inconsistent evidence" presented by the DA's Office to prove Garcia is guilty. Attorney Morales also claimed some expert witnesses presented by the state could not be used as evidence in this case.
ADA Tarango argued the state presented circumstantial evidence to prove Garcia committed the crime and will now wait for the jury's deliberations.
More updates in later newscasts.
