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3mo ago

El Paso Walmart Shooter Sentenced to Life Without Parole After Guilty Plea

Patrick Crusius admitted to targeting Hispanic shoppers in the 2019 racially motivated attack, concluding a yearslong legal process with a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.

FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2019, photo Texas state police cars block the access to the Walmart store in the aftermath of a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton, File)
El Paso Walmart mass shooter Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old male from Allen, Texas, accused of killing 22 and injuring 25, pleads not guilty during his arraignment, in El Paso, Texas, U.S. October 10, 2019. Briana Sanchez/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE - In this Aug. 12, 2019 photo, mourners visit the makeshift memorial near the Walmart in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio, File)
August 3, 2024: Doves are released during a memorial held on the fifth anniversary of the Aug. 3 Walmart mass shooting. The memorial was organized by the Border Network of Human Rights in El Paso, Texas.

Overview

  • Patrick Crusius pleaded guilty in Texas state court to capital murder charges on April 21, 2025, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
  • The plea deal was reached after El Paso District Attorney James Montoya dropped the pursuit of the death penalty, citing the desire of many victims' families for closure.
  • Crusius had previously been sentenced to 90 consecutive life terms in federal court in 2023 after pleading guilty to hate crimes and weapons charges.
  • The 2019 attack, one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, killed 23 people and injured 22 others, with Crusius admitting he specifically targeted Hispanics.
  • Victims’ families and survivors began delivering emotional impact statements following the sentencing, marking the final stage of the legal proceedings.