El Paso Walmart Shooter to Plead Guilty in State Case, Avoiding Death Penalty

Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people in a 2019 racially motivated attack, will receive a life sentence without parole following victims' families' support for a swift resolution.

District Attorney James Montoya announced the decision to withdraw the death penalty in the state case against Patrick Crusius after consulting with victims' families.
Crusius, who is already serving 90 consecutive life sentences for federal hate crime charges, is expected to plead guilty to state charges on April 21, 2025.
The plea deal ensures a life sentence without parole, avoiding prolonged legal battles and appeals that could have delayed the case until 2028.
The 2019 shooting, targeting Hispanic individuals, remains the deadliest mass shooting against Latinos in U.S. history and one of the deadliest overall.
Some victims' families expressed disappointment with the decision to forgo the death penalty, while a majority supported the resolution for quicker closure.