26-year old Patrick Crusius did not address the families while accepting the plea which he made after local prosecutors agreed to take the death penalty off the table. He had already been sentenced to 90 consecutive life terms on federal hate crime charges. His accepting of the plea agreement from Texas prosecutors ends six years of efforts to punish him by state and federal authorities.
Crusius drove more than 700 miles from Dallas to carry out the shooting on Aug. 3, 2019.
"You came to inflict terror, to take innocent lives and to shatter a community that had done nothing but stand for kindness, unity and love. You slaughtered fathers, mothers, sons and daughters,” State District Judge Sam Medrano said.
“Now as you begin the rest of your life locked away, remember this: your mission failed,” he continued. “You did not divide this city, you strengthened it. You did not silence its voice, you made it louder. You did not instill fear, you inspired unity. El Paso rose, stronger and braver.”
“Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty and for no other reason?” Medrano asked him.
“Yes, your honor,” Crusius calmly responded.
Medrano sentenced Crusius to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
While one of his lawyers, Joe Spencer, told the court, "We offer our deepest condolences,” Crusius did not explicitly apologize Monday for his actions.
“Patrick will leave prison only in a coffin on God’s time,” Spencer said.
