Overview

• Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people in a 2019 racially motivated attack at an El Paso Walmart, pleaded guilty to state capital murder charges on April 21, 2025.
• He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole under a plea deal that removed the death penalty, reflecting the wishes of most victims' families for a swift resolution.
• The sentencing follows his 2023 federal conviction for hate crimes and weapons charges, for which he received 90 consecutive life sentences.
• Victims' families and survivors began delivering emotional impact statements in court, with over 40 individuals scheduled to address the shooter and the court across multiple days.
• The attack, one of the deadliest hate crimes in U.S. history, was driven by white nationalist beliefs, with Crusius targeting Hispanic individuals and posting a manifesto warning of a 'Hispanic invasion.'