ABC-7 Listens: The Walmart Shooting Trial
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- August 3, 2024 marks five years since the shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart.
As we approach that milestone as a community, many are left wondering when the case can finally be put to rest.
A viewer wrote the ABC-7 newsroom asking a straight-forward question with, unfortunately, a not-so-simple answer.
Genaro asked, "What is taking so long to prosecute Walmart shooter Patrick Wood Crusius. I am sure the victims would like peace of mind. Why is the system abusing taxpayers' money to keep him alive. It's (been) almost five (5) years."
Crusius was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges in July.
But he is awaiting a state trial and the death penalty is on the table.
It has been almost two months since the last hearing in the 409th District Court. The prosecution said it was ready for trial, stating they provided evidence to the defense. The defense claimed it still needs months to sift through millions of documents.
Consider this: depending on the outcome of the November election, the district attorney -- the person trying the case for the state -- could be a different person.
Current District Attorney Bill Hicks, who is a Republican, is facing the winner of the Democratic primary runoff, which is between James Montoya and Alma Trejo.
Montoya is a former prosecutor in El Paso with experience as a defense attorney and a U.S. attorney. Trejo is also a onetime prosecutor and a criminal court judge here in El Paso.
Early voting starts May 20 and runs through May 24. Runoff Election Day is May 28.
Watch ABC-7 Xtra on Sunday, May 26 as Mark Ross hosts Montoya and Trejo.
