Murder victim’s niece: ‘As long as he dies in prison, we are happy”

It was an emotional day in an El Paso courtroom for the family of Deanna Stewart. The 38-year-old was shot and killed by her common law husband back in 2015.

Greg Dudley was found guilty of shooting and killing Stewart and sentenced to 80 years in prison.

It was a final act of violence in what prosecutors called years of abuse.

Jackie Medina, Stewart’s niece, was in the courtroom for the sentencing.

“He should have gotten life, but as long as he dies in prison we are happy” Medina said.

Those may seem like harsh words, but for the family of Stewart, they are appropriate for the man the prosecution said abused and ultimately killed their loved one.

“Almost two years to the day we got the verdict. So we are definitely happy. It’s kind of bittersweet and poetic if you will. We got justice for Deanna. She definitely did not deserve this one bit,” Medina said.

The jury heard testimony from Debra Wong, the victim’s sister, who had at one point called 911 to report her sister had been beaten. During that call Wong said: “My sister’s boyfriend beat her up. He was throwing her around like a rag doll.”

Prosecutor James Montoya said the couple’s history of domestic violence was an important part of the case against Dudley.

“We pieced together what Mr. Dudley was up to that entire weekend and really throughout this relationship, and how bad of a relationship it was and how abusive he was over the course of many years,” Montoya said.”Maybe a learning lesson for people in a situation like these, that it can happen,” Medina said.

This was a heartbreaking lesson for the family of Stewart who for two years worked closely with the prosecution to make sure jurors knew the pain she had suffered, all the while praying justice would be served.

“Unfortunately we just never know when the next time is unfortunately going to the last time. So that is why we have placed a real priority on even the smallest domestic violence cases now,” Montoya said.

Dudley had chosen not to take the stand in his own defense.

On top of the 80 year sentence, he was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.