A jury in El Paso on Tuesday found 70-year-old Mario Lechuga Velazquez guilty of capital murder in the shooting deaths of two of his neighbors in the Lower Valley. The killings happened on Oct. 13, 2023, on Parral Drive. The conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Velazquez was also convicted of aggravated assault for firing at a third neighbor that same day.
Court testimony and surveillance footage presented at trial showed Velazquez approaching 54-year-old Joseph Carter in his yard and shooting him, then later crossing Parral Drive and shooting 62-year-old James Burton as he stood outside, according to KTSM. Both men, cousins who lived across the street from Velazquez on the 7600 block of Parral Drive, were taken to hospitals after the shooting. Burton collapsed at the scene, and Carter died later following surgery. Prosecutors told jurors that the deadly dispute started that morning while Velazquez was working in his front yard.
Video And 911 Audio Were Pivotal
Prosecutors played security-camera footage that showed Velazquez walking toward his neighbors and firing, and jurors also heard a 911 call in which Burton described seeing Velazquez with a gun before a shot rang out, according to reporting from KVIA. The footage reportedly captured Velazquez returning to his home between the two shootings, and the timing of those recordings became a central focus of the prosecution's case. Prosecutors argued that the video and audio undermined the defense's account of how the confrontation unfolded.
District Attorney James Montoya told jurors the surveillance captured what he called a "callous attack" and said the jury clearly rejected Velazquez's claim of self-defense, KVIA reported. Montoya added that the verdict ensures Velazquez will never again be a part of a free society. Velazquez still faces a formal sentencing proceeding under state procedures at a later hearing.
What Happens Next
The court is expected to schedule a sentencing hearing in the coming weeks, when a judge will formally impose the punishment required by the jury's verdict. Under Texas law, a capital conviction can result in either the death penalty or life in prison without parole, and state statutes and criminal procedure govern how those sentences are handled, per Texas statutes. Defendants sentenced to life without parole are not eligible for release under current parole laws.
The case remains with the 243rd Judicial District at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, and the court docket is expected to list upcoming dates for sentencing and any additional filings in the days ahead.
