Armando Juarez Gets Life In Prison Without Parole For 2018 Murder Of Dallas Officer
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Armando Juarez, the man accused of killing Dallas officer Rogelio Santander and injuring officer Crystal Almeida at a Home Depot in 2018, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday after taking a plea deal.
Juarez pleaded guilty to capital murder, as well as other charges related to the incident including injuring a Home Depot loss prevention officer. The Dallas County District Attorney's Office said Juarez accepted a plea deal after it was determined by a psychologist that he was "intellectually disabled," which would make him ineligible for the death penalty.
It was on April 24, 2018 that Juarez killed Santander and shot Almeida and Scott Painter during a shoplifting incident at a Home Depot in northeast Dallas. Officials said Juarez led police on a high-speed chase and also shot at two other officers.
The district attorney's office had sought the death penalty but settled for sentence of life without parole. Juarez also received life sentences for injuring Almeida and shooting at the other two Dallas officers.
"Our deepest sympathies remain with all those affected by this tragedy, especially the Santander family, Officer Almeida and her family, Scott Painter and his family, Officers Delgado and his family, and Officer Vasquez and his family," the district attorney's office said in a statement.
In a victim impact statement during Friday's hearing, Almeida told Juarez that she wished he would have gotten the death penalty and that she has to live with permanent effects from her injuries such as loss of vision in her left eye and brain issues. She said she can't work as the officer she wants to be anymore.
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