El Paso district attorney’s office working to put Daniel Villegas on trial for murder a 3rd time

Daniel Villegas, the man who was convicted of murder but released on bond after his conviction was overturned, did not have a status hearing on Friday as planned.

But someone with insight into the prosecution of the case told ABC-7 the D.A.’s office is working on retrying Villegas for killing two teens more than 20 years ago.

The trial date was set last month for May 22. Meanwhile, the case will be back in court March 28 when the defense will try to suppress Villegas’ confession to killing two teen boys in a drive-by shooting in 1993.

Joe Spencer, Villegas’ defense attorney, on Friday told Villegas’ supporters gathered in the audience of the 409th District Courtroom the D.A.’s office filed two motions:

One, for Villegas to be examined by a psychiatrist if the defense is doing the same. And for the defense to turn over to the prosecution a list of all expert witnesses.

Spencer and Villegas had mixed feelings about the outcome of Friday’s hearing.

Villegas, who had his double murder conviction overturned in December by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, was released on $50,000 bond in mid-January bond.