El Paso Walmart Shooter Will Not Face Death Penalty in State Case

District Attorney James Montoya's decision aligns with the federal case, potentially expediting a guilty plea and life sentence for Patrick Crusius.

Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people in a 2019 racist mass shooting, will not face the death penalty in the state case, as announced by District Attorney James Montoya.
Montoya informed victims' families of the decision, which mirrors the federal case where Crusius received 90 consecutive life sentences in 2023.
The decision not to pursue capital punishment could lead to a quicker resolution of the state case through a guilty plea and life sentence.
The attack at the Cielo Vista Walmart remains the deadliest terror attack targeting Hispanics in U.S. history and the sixth-deadliest mass shooting overall.
Crusius' mental health diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder influenced decisions to forgo the death penalty in both federal and state cases.