Driver convicted of murder in 2015 El Paso wreck that killed boyfriend

A jury Thursday afternoon convicted 23-year old Jesus Alberto Mireles of murder in connection with a deadly 2015 crash in northeast El Paso that killed his boyfriend, who was a passenger in the car.

The victim, 25-year old Daniel Nicholas Mendoza, had called 9-1-1 moments before the crash to complain that Mireless was driving in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Prosecutors also said Mireless was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Jurors heard closing arguments earlier Thursday in the trial and deliberated for only a few hours before returning the guilty verdict. Mireles was visibly emotional as the verdict was read in court.

Mireles’ car was headed west on Alps Drive on a Sunday morning in December of 2015 when police said he lost control, went into a parking lot and hit an unoccupied van and two food trucks.

Mendoza was rushed to the University Medical Center of El Paso, where he would later die of injuries he suffered in the crash.