Tommy Luna Found Guilty of Murder
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jan 12, 2018, Comments Off
Courtesy Yanira Deleon,
(Laredo, Texas)-The Office of the District Attorney reports a guilty verdict for Tommy Luna, 30, who was charged with murder in the slaying of Cesar Moises Salazar.
On March 25, 2016, the Laredo Police Department Communication Division received calls of a shooting and stabbing incident that occurred by S. Louisiana Ave. and Napoleon St. in south Laredo. Officers arrived at the scene and discovered an unresponsive male subject lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds. Witnesses advised officers that the victim and another male subject, identified as Tommy Luna, were in a physical altercation. One of the witnesses stated that the victim was screaming that he was stabbed by Luna and needed an ambulance. He then collapsed on the sidewalk face down. The victim, later identified as Cesar Moises Salazar, had three stab wounds to his chest and abdomen areas. The autopsy determined that the stab wound to the mid-chest caused Salazar’s death.
Later that night, Tommy Luna was detained for questioning and subsequently charged with murder, a first-degree felony in the State of Texas.
The trial, which took place before visiting Judge Susan Reed in the 49th District Court, was heard by a jury over the course of three days, rendering their guilty verdict after four hours of deliberation. Numerous witnesses took the stand during the trial including Laredo Police officers and investigators who responded to the scene and the Webb County Medical Examiner who ruled the manner of death as a homicide. During the punishment phase of the trial, evidence was also presented showing Luna’s past run ins with the law. His prior felony conviction enhances the range of punishment to one level higher category increasing the minimum punishment to 15 years.
In the charge of the court, the jury answered “yes” to a special issue of punishment, which stated that the defendant acted in the heat of passion arising from adequate cause. After two hours of deliberation, the jury assessed a punishment of 30 years to serve with a $5,000 fine. Luna will begin his sentence immediately at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Correctional Institution Division.
Assistant District Attorneys Francisco Mendoza and Jonathan Garcia prosecuted the case for the State.
