State of Texas v. Angel Hinojo

El Paso, Texas, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with first-degree murder.



Angel Hinojos, 23, was found guilty of one count of murder, a first-degree

felony. Hinojos shot at his aunt and uncle, Maria and Jesus Lopez, on May 29, 2022, outside the

Jalisco Cafe in the Segundo Barrio neighborhood of South El Paso. Maria Lopez was wounded,

but survived. Jesus Lopez was shot four times and succumbed to his injuries. Hinojos had lived

with his uncle at the time of the shooting.



The jury trial began on Tuesday, Aug. 12 with witness and expert testimony in the 327th District

Court with Judge Monique Velarde-Reyes presiding. The jury began deliberating on the morning

of Aug. 19 and took three hours to reach a guilty verdict. Testimony and evidence was presented

in the sentencing hearing on Aug. 20, and the jury began deciding on a sentence the following

day.



After three hours of deliberations, the jury denied the defendant was moved by "sudden passion”

prior to committing the fatal shooting and handed down a sentence of 27 years in prison.

"I commend the jury for recognizing that the dangerous and deadly act committed by the

Defendant was one of intent, and not self-defense or sudden passion," said District Attorney

James Montoya. "It was a choice by the Defendant to shoot and kill his uncle in the middle of the

street on a Sunday afternoon. I give condolences to the Lopez family, who lost their loved one

and testified against another one."



Assistant District Attorneys Josh Avila and Danielle Escontrias represented the State of Texas in

the prosecution of this case.

The convicted the Defendant and sentenced him to nearly three decades in prison for murdering his uncle.