LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Yanira Deleon,

Demond Dupree Bluntson has been assessed the death penalty for killing two children at a local hotel.

The story unfolded on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, the Laredo Police Department Emergency Communications Division received a welfare concern from El Campo Police Department on Brandy Marie Cerny who had been missing with her children. An LPD unit was dispatched to 800 Garden St. at the Holiday Inn in search for the missing victim and her children. After verifying that Brandy was registered at the hotel, LPD officer and a Holiday Inn employee made verbal contact with a male subject in room #1408 who did not allow entrance into the room.

The front desk clerk utilized the master key in an attempt to gain entry, but was unable to due to the fact that the door was secured with the chain latch inside. A child was heard crying inside the room and the officer identified himself as a Laredo Police officer and asked if everything was okay, but there was no response. After waiting for a few more minutes, a second patrol unit was dispatched to the scene. Officers made repeated attempts to get the subject to open the door by identifying themselves and asking if everyone inside the room was okay.

The male subject’s only response to them was “There’s kids inside.” Officers attempted to gain entry into the room by breaking the latch, but the door was jammed from inside. A single gunshot was discharged from inside the room which exited through the front door and grazed one of the officer’s face. After seeking cover in the hallway, approximately 3-4 more shots were discharged.

An LPD supervisor arrived on the scene and taking into consideration all the circumstances, made the decision to breach the room for a preservation of life. Inside the room, officers observed a male subject laying on his right side hugging a naked toddler and small boy. Both children were lying on blood soaked pillows with gunshot wounds to their heads. Officers handcuffed the subject after not complying with verbal commands, while immediate assistance of paramedics was requested. One of the children, one-and-a-half-year-old Devian Demon Bluntson died at the scene while 6-year-old Jayden Thompson was immediately transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

The male subject was later identified as Demond Dupree Bluntson, father of Devian Bluntson who was transported to another local hospital for treatment. Once he received medical attention, he was taken to the police station to be interviewed by LPD investigators. He was subsequently charged with one count of capital murder and two counts of aggravated assault on a public servant. He was later served with a warrant for a second charge of capital murder after Jayden succumbed to the injuries he sustained.

On Monday, April 18, 2016, opening statements began in the capital murder trial of Demond Dupree Bluntson before the 49th District Court Judge Joe Lopez. During his opening, District Attorney Isidro R. Alaniz told jurors, “Demond Bluntson knew it was time… Not time to run, but a time to kill. Bluntson was preparing room 1408 for death.” Alaniz went on to show jurors a photo of Devian and Jayden and told them the reason they were all there were for those two boys.

The jury of eight women, four men and four alternate jurors were presented with physical, scientific and medical evidence during the guilt/innocence phase of the trial. The District Attorney’s Office also presented videos and audio recordings of the events that led up to the fatal shootings during the testimony of 12 witnesses.

In the closing arguments of the guilt/innocence phase, District Attorney Isidro R. Alaniz stated to jurors, “You will arrive at the only verdict that is possible and that is that Demond Bluntson is guilty of all counts.” On Thursday, April 21, 2016, the jury deliberated for over three hours rendering their guilty verdict on two counts of capital murder and two counts of aggravated assault on a public servant. The punishment phase continued the following day with over 20 witnesses.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the State brought forth witness impact statements, Bluntson’s prior convictions, his behavior on probation, his bad acts in a prison society and his psychological reports to corroborate that he would continue being a threat to society. The jury had to take into consideration all the evidence, including the circumstances of the offense and Bluntson’s character and background.

During the closing arguments of the punishment phase, the State provided an outline to detail the events that lead to the two murders in Laredo from June 16th to June 19th. First Alaniz asked the jury to give Brandy Cerny and her two kids justice. “He thinks and believes he is smarter than the system and he is going to try to get away with whatever he can,” Alaniz said. “He is cold, callous and manipulative. Demond Bluntson earned the death penalty.”

In the charge of the court, the jury had to answer “yes” to special issue number one which stated that if there was a probability that the defendant would commit criminal acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to society and “no” to special issue number two if there were sufficient mitigating circumstances to warrant a sentence of life imprisonment rather than a death sentence. After 10 hours of deliberation, the jury assessed the capital punishment of death for both capital murder counts and 50 years with a $10,000 fine for each count of aggravated assault.

District Attorney Isidro R. Alaniz, First Assistant District Attorney Marisela S. Jacaman, Assistant District Attorneys Philip Del Rio, Cristina Alva and Julia Rubio and Law Clerk Alvaro Aguirre prosecuted the case for the State.