Family of man killed in Far East El Paso shooting say sentencing was “unfair”

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The family of a man killed in a shooting in Far East El Paso say the sentencing for the man found guilty was "unfair."

Juan Angel Ramirez, who was 25 at the time of the murder, was found guilty and sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the murder of 30-year-old Juan Carlos Castro.

El Paso District Attorney told ABC-7 that the minimum time for a murder sentence in Texas is 5 years. However, the jury found that "Sudden Passion" prompted the deadly shooting and reduced the punishment range between 2 and 20 years.

DA Hicks went over the case with ABC-7 and told us Ramirez had been assaulting his girlfriend, something Ramirez denied in trial. Hicks said people attending a party nearby saw this and started attacking Ramirez.

Hicks says Ramirez managed to get away to his girlfriend's house, but the group followed him. Ramirez is accused of shooting through the door. No one was hurt, but people ran away.

Hicks said when Ramirez left the house he saw Castro, the father of his girlfriend's child, who she had called earlier for help. Hicks says Ramirez shot Castro four times in the back and beat him with the gun.

Elizabeth Castro, Castro's older sister, spoke to ABC-7 and said their family believes the sentencing was "unfair" since Ramirez's sentence was less than the time her brother has been dead.

"He wasn't part of that crowd. You already had ran to safety. You were in your home. You could've stayed in there and call the cops,” said Elizabeth Castro as she questioned why Ramirez's actions.

Despite not being pleased with the sentencing, DA Hicks says they were satisfied with the verdict.

“The defense was pushing very, very hard for manslaughter, that it was a reckless action of murder, not an intentionally knowingly murder,” said Hicks.

Elizabeth Castro told ABC-7 her family won't stop in obtaining the justice she believes they deserve.

“I’m not going to stop. I want an appeal. If I have to take it further, I'm going to take it further. If I have to hire a lawyer, I will do it. But I'm not leaving it like that," said Castro.