A Hays County jury has handed a 65-year prison sentence to Kyle resident Andy Wayne Carty after finding him guilty of a series of brutal family-violence offenses against his girlfriend, attacks that unfolded in front of their young daughters. The decision came Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, in San Marcos, wrapping up a roughly two-week trial and leaving Carty facing decades behind bars before he can even be considered for parole.
Jurors convicted Carty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon - family violence, continuous family violence, assault-family violence (impeding breath or circulation), and violation of a protective order. The sentences will run concurrently, and Carty must serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole, according to a press release from the Hays County Criminal District Attorney's Office.
Two Nights Of Violence, Prosecutors Say
Prosecutors told jurors the convictions stemmed from two separate assaults: one on Jan. 31, 2023, and another less than a month later, on Feb. 25, 2023.
On Jan. 31, a verbal argument escalated into violence when Carty slammed the woman's shoulder and head into a wall, according to testimony. Prosecutors said the woman fled with the children to their car and called 911, and officers arrested Carty on misdemeanor charges. He later bonded out.
The Feb. 25 incident, jurors heard, was far more terrifying. Around 2:30 to 3 a.m., Carty allegedly climbed through an unlocked window, then hid the family's phones so no one could easily call for help. According to prosecutors, he strangled the woman, hit her with a 10-pound dumbbell, pulled out a long hunting knife, and tried to duct-tape the mouths of family members. The children managed to escape, and neighbors, then police, stepped in to stop the attack, as reported by KXAN.
Prosecutors Praise "Heroic" Actions, Police Work
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Jon English and Claudia Garcia, who led the prosecution, did not mince words about who they believe made the conviction possible.
"The defendant was brought to justice because regular people did heroic things," English said, crediting the victim, her children, and neighbors who intervened.
Garcia added that "the jury's sentence holds the offender accountable and warns that domestic violence will have serious consequences," according to KXAN. The District Attorney's Office also praised the Kyle Police Department for its sustained work on the case, from the first response to the final arrest.
Resources For Survivors In Hays County
Officials stressed that help is available for those living with abuse.
The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center runs a 24-hour HELPline at (512) 396-HELP and provides emergency shelter, advocacy, and other services for survivors of family and sexual violence. The Hays County District Attorney’s Victim Services Division offers court accompaniment, safety planning, and referrals to additional resources, according to their websites: Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and Hays County Victim Services.
Legal Note
Judge Joe Pool presided over the trial, which began on Feb. 3, 2026, and lasted about two weeks. In addition to the 65-year sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon - family violence, Carty received five-year sentences on each of the remaining counts. Those terms will run concurrently, leaving him required to serve decades in prison before he can seek parole.
