DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A Dallas County jury sentenced Kristopher Love, 34, to death for the murder of Dallas pediatric dentist Kendra Hatcher, 35, in an Uptown parking garage in September 2015.

Kristopher Love (CBS11)

The jury found him guilty of capital murder last Thursday, October 25.

Moments after the jury sentenced Love to death, victim impact statements began.

Kendra Hatcher’s mother talked to Love from the stand and referred to him not by his name, but “executioner,” saying his life will end peacefully “unlike my daughter.’s and for what?  Drugs and prostitution money?”

“I want to thank the jury for their verdict. I also want to thank my team of prosecutors for their hard work and dedication in getting justice for the family of Kendra Hatcher,” said Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson Wednesday afternoon.

Prosecutors said Hatcher had a new boyfriend who had an obsessive ex, Brenda Delgado. She is accused of hiring Love to ambush and kill Hatcher.

Lead Prosecutor Kevin Brooks said, “Kristopher Love agreed to commit the murder for drugs and money. This was not a crime of spontaneity. This was a premeditated and well planned out crime.”

Assistant District Attorney Glen Fitzmartin said, “He’s the worst of the worst criminals. This was not a mistake. It was a choice of execution.” Fitzmartin told jurors, “Kendra knew that she was going to die that day and he needs to feel that too. That he is going to die.”

During the trial, Crystal Cortes, 26, admitted to jurors that she was an integral part of the plan to kill Hatcher after Delgado began shopping for someone willing to carry out the murder.

Cortes pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for a 35-year sentence and her testimony in Love’s trial. Delgado is still awaiting her capital murder trial.

Cortes told jurors about how she, Delgado, and sometimes Love used different vehicles to follow Dr. Hatcher between her work and home while considering different options to kill her.

“Inject her with a needle,” testified Cortes. “Another plan was to shoot her directly, and another plan was to kidnap her.”

Then Cortes told jurors that Love weighed in on the murderous plot, adding, “He pretty much said that it would be easier to just kill her, with the gun.”

MORE COVERAGE

Mother Of Dentist’s Killer Wants Son’s Life Spared: ‘I Don’t Think Any Mother Should See Her Son Die’

Family Of Murder-For-Hire Victim Testifies During Killer’s Punishment Phase: ‘Nobody Could Have Hurt Her Who Knew Her’

Prosecutors Hope Kristopher Love’s Own Words Convict Him Of Capital Murder

Delgado In Dallas County Jail After Extradition From Mexico

Another Arrest In Uptown Dentist Murder Case, One Suspect Still At Large

FARMERSVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Collin County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested a Farmersville man for capital murder in the death of his baby daughter.

The Sheriff’s Office said on Tuesday, November 6, deputies and Farmersville Police officers responded to a medical emergency involving a 1-year-old in the 400 block of Pendleton Street.

The child was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

According to the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office, an autopsy revealed injuries consistent with physical abuse.

The investigation and interviews led to the arrest of the child’s father, Adrian Bautista.

Adrian Bautista

He’s being held in the Collin County Detention Facility on a $1 million bond.

The investigation is ongoing.

DALLAS COUNTY, Texas  (CBSDFW.COM) – At the entrance to a make-shift mobile home park in far southern Dallas County, a weathered sign warns drivers to go ‘slow’, ‘kids at play.’

Just beyond it, police tape secured the crime scene where investigators believe 2-year-old old Anthony Isaiah Mares had been killed.

“The whole thing is just a tragedy,” says Ellen Waterhouse, who also lives on Beckleycrest. “It’s just sad. Breaks my heart. I can’t imagine her pain.”

Orlando Hidalgo, 22, was arrested Monday and charged with capital murder in the death of his girlfriend’s son.

Orlando Hidalgo

Anthony was pronounced dead at Charlton Methodist Hospital Sunday night after family members rushed the child there.

According to investigators with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, a tip led investigators to a home in the 9400 block of Newhall, where they recovered a murder weapon and shell casings.

The toddler’s family lived in the 9600 block of Beckleycrest and police investigators spent hours there Monday collecting evidence.

Meanwhile, Hidalgo’s relatives are defending him.

His mother told CBS 11 today that her son is innocent and claimed that the toddler found the gun and accidentally shot himself.

The Sheriff’s Department says the investigation is ongoing.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas police have connected a 15-year-old, who’s accused in a string of sexual assaults through the city, to the capital murder of a woman at an apartment.

Last week, police arrested the teenager in connection to three sexual assaults that occurred within the last few months at Dallas apartments. In those cases, police say he forced his way into the apartments and sexually assaulted the residents.

Sketch of a suspect in a string of sexual assaults in Dallas. (Dallas PD)

Two sexual assaults happened a week apart in September in Far North Dallas. The latest occurred on October 30 at the Wildflower Apartments in Dallas. The teenager was also wanted in connection to two sexual assaults in Bossier City, Louisiana earlier this year.

When the 15-year-old was arrested, police were also investigating if there was a connection between the teenager and the capital murder of Maria Ezquerro at an apartment near the Galleria. On Monday, police received that confirmation.

Police say the teenager’s identity will not be released since he is a juvenile.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The man wanted for shooting up a parked car, killing two teens and injuring another last Friday, turned himself in to Dallas Police Tuesday morning.

Lexington Malik Wright, 18, surrendered to Homicide detectives at the Dallas Police Jack Evans Headquarters around 6:00 a.m.

Lexington Malik Wright

During the interview with detectives, he admitted to shooting Deroyal Talley, 19. Demareyea Bazile, 17 and a juvenile victim.

That victim told police who the suspect was.

Wright is now in the Dallas County Jail charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.

The shooting happened in the 2700 block of Palo Alto Drive near Lancaster Road and I-20 in Southeast Oak Cliff around 4:30 p.m. last Friday.

Police released a redacted arrest warrant.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas Police have identified a suspect in Thursday’s double murder of a man and woman inside the home at 2670 Belknap Avenue.

A capital murder warrant has been issued for Patrick Johnson, 55.

Patrick Johnson

Police were called to check on the people inside the South Dallas home.  When officers showed up around 11:40 a.m. on Thursday, they found the bodies of a man and woman inside.

A cousin of one of the victims told CBS 11 a woman in her 50s and her adult son in his 30s were killed by her live-in boyfriend of five years.

Dallas Police investigate double homicide (Chopper 11)

A neighbor told CBS 11 she heard four gunshots early this morning, but when she came outside, didn’t see any suspicious activity.

Williams said the woman’s co-workers became concerned this morning when she didn’t show up for work.

They came to her house and when no one came to the door, they called police.

Williams said she spoke with her earlier this week and said her boyfriend was very controlling.

“When I talked to her two days ago, and she was talking real, real strange and I said why haven’t you called me and she was talking real, real strange, well you have the wrong number and she hung up,” said Williams. “I knew something was wrong.”

Williams said she called back, but the woman didn’t answer the phone.

Williams said the woman’s son leaves behind three young sons, ages 2, 3 and 6, and that she was planning to visit her daughter and grandchildren in Ohio for Christmas.

If anyone has information regarding the suspects whereabouts, they are encouraged to contact Detective Frank Serra, #10031 at 214-671-4320 or frank.serra@dallascityhall.com.

Dallas Police investigate double homicide (Chopper 11)

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas Police arrested the suspect identified in Thursday’s double murder of a man and woman inside their home on Belknap Avenue Friday evening.

Patrick Douglas Johnson, 55, was charged with capital murder and arrested Friday. He was taken to Dallas Police Jack Evans Headquarters for an interview.

Patrick Douglas Johnson

Johnson declined to give a statement to the detectives. He was then taken to Dallas County Lew Sterrett Jail.

Police were called to check on the people inside the South Dallas home.  When officers showed up around 11:40 a.m. Thursday, they found the bodies of a man and a woman inside.

A cousin of one of the victims told CBS 11 a woman in her 50s and her adult son in his 30s were killed by her live-in boyfriend of five years.

A neighbor told CBS 11 she heard four gunshots early Thursday morning, but when she went outside she didn’t see any suspicious activity.

Williams said the woman’s co-workers became concerned that morning when she didn’t show up for work.

They called police when they went by her house and no one answered the door.

Williams said she spoke with the victim earlier this week and said her boyfriend seemed very controlling.

“When I talked to her two days ago, and she was talking real, real strange and I said why haven’t you called me and she was talking real, real strange, well you have the wrong number and she hung up,” said Williams. “I knew something was wrong.”

Williams said she called back, but the woman didn’t answer the phone.

She said the woman’s son leaves behind three sons, ages 2, 3 and 6, and she was planning to visit her daughter and grandchildren in Ohio for Christmas.

TARRANT COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) – A 26-year-old man was arrested in connection to the death of a two-month-old baby in Tarrant County, authorities say.

Joseph Matthew Welborn is currently in custody and is being held on a charge of capital murder in the death of two-month-old Christian Welborn.

Joseph Matthew Welborn mugshot (Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office)

According to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner, the baby died last Friday from blunt force injuries to the head. He was found at a residence in the 5200 block of Azle Avenue in Sansom Park.

“Anytime that full-grown adults hurt our babies, I think we all ought to be appalled and all ought to be disgusted,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn.

The sheriff said it appeared Welborn was home alone with his kids at the time of the incident while Christian’s mother was returning from a shopping trip.

Welborn remains in jail on a 250-thousand-dollar bond.

UVALDE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A 12-year-old boy was arrested and charged with capital murder Thursday in the shooting death of a local professional boxer in South Texas.

The shooting happened Wednesday evening in Ulvade, Texas. Police say a woman called 911 and said someone had broken into her home and that her boyfriend was shot.

The victim, 24-year-old John Duane VanMeter, was transported by responding crews to a hospital where he later died.

The Uvalde Leader-News, a local newspaper, reports VanMeter’s girlfriend and two children were at the home at the time of the shooting.

A 12-year-old suspect was later arrested by Uvalde police and was taken to the Jourdanton Juvenile Detention Center. He is being held on a capital murder charge.

According to the Uvalde Leader-News, VanMeter began his professional boxing career in August 2015. He had planned to participate in a competition in Beaumont on Feb. 23.

VanMeter was a member of the Tree City Boxing Club, which offered its condolences after the news broke of his death. The Uvalde Leader-News reports he was coached by his father, John VanMeter.

“We are at a loss for words. It’s a sad sad night, not just for Tree City Boxing, but for our entire community. Please keep the VanMeters in your prayers,” the club said.

The club also said it would remain closed the rest of the week to remember the boxer and that it would reopen after his funeral.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A suspect was identified in a deadly parking garage shooting at a shopping center Thursday night in Dallas, police say.

Dallas police found Joseph Anthony Pintucci, 18, slumped over in the driver seat of his vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound around 10:07 p.m. He was in the parking garage of the Shops at Park Lane.

Pintucci was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

Police identified Rene Eduardo Montanez Jr., 23, as one of three suspects involved in the aggravated robbery that escalated into the shooting.

Police said Pintucci was shot by one of the suspects who is at large.

According to an arrest warrant, it was over selling drugs.

Montanez denied any involvement in the offense. He was then taken to the Dallas County Jail where he was arrested and charged with capital murder Saturday night.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

MESQUITE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Mesquite Police have arrested a man and charged him with capital murder after a deadly shooting Monday around 10:45 p.m. at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Parkside Drive.

Nathan Anthony Barrientos, 22, of Balch Springs, is charged in the death of Edgar Murillo, 32, of Dallas.

Nathan Anthony Barrientos

When officers got to the scene after multiple 911 calls about a shooting, they found Murillo sitting in a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Murillo was rushed by ambulance to a Dallas hospital where he died from his injuries.

Officers arrested  Barrientos at an apartment he was seen entering immediately after the shooting.

Barrientos’ bond has been set at $100,000.

Police have not released details on a possible motive or how the two men knew each other.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — Dallas police have arrested a man suspected of killing two people Sunday afternoon after he admitted to striking two people with a machete and leaving their bodies in a vehicle.

Kris Askew, 46, was booked into Dallas County Jail.

Kris Askew Mugshot (Dallas Police Department)

DPD officers found two people dead in an abandoned vehicle at about 1:10 p.m. Sunday, on the 2800 block of Frost Avenue, in South Dallas.

Police say they interviewed Askew after an investigation, and he admitted to hacking both Judy Askew, later identified as the suspect’s mother, and Randall Lynn with a machete and putting the bodies into a vehicle. He then drove the vehicle to a public street and walked home.

Askew also told police Lynn had been alive for two or three days after being hit with the machete before dying. He said he struck the two victims with a machete because he was angry at Lynn.

Askew faces a capital murder charge.

ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Arlington Police have arrested three people in connection with deadly shooting of a man in a home while he was recording music on Thursday, March 7.

Investigators determined multiple suspects arrived at the home in the 1500 block of Darby Drive around 2:15 a.m. with the idea they were going to record some music with the victim.

But one of the men pulled out a gun and during an apparent struggle, shot and killed him.

The investigation led detectives to a group of men that resulted in the capital murder arrest warrants for Dreyon Glenn, 26, Shaquille Lane, 25, and David Davis, 23.

Dreyon Glenn, Shaquille Lane and David Davis are charged with capital murder.

There is still one outstanding suspect who remains unidentified at this time. Anyone who may have additional information is asked to contact Homicide Detective Julia Hall at 817.459.5325.

Tipsters can also remain anonymous by contacting Tarrant County Crime Stoppers at 817.459.TIPS.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas Police homicide detectives have arrested a man for a deadly shooting on Tuesday night.

Police said Franklin Delain Fuller, 29, is responsible for the murder of Ahmad Yar.

Franklin Delain Fuller

Yar, 28, was found shot to death in his vehicle in the 7000 block of Hemlock Avenue around 8:00 p.m. that night.

Fuller was arrested Thursday for an unrelated crime, but after being interviewed by detectives he was taken to the Dallas County Jail charged with capital murder.

Police have not yet released details on how the pair knew each other or what the motive was for the crime.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Federal prosecutors say they will not pursue charges at this time against the Texas teen accused of fatally shooting 10 people at a high school last year.

Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 18, faces a state capital murder trial for the deadly shooting in May 2018 at Santa Fe High School that also wounded 13 people.

Mugshot of Texas school shooting suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis. (credit: Galveston County Jail)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas says prosecutors and FBI agents met with the victims and family members Tuesday and that no federal charges will be filed at this time.

A spokeswoman declined to say whether Pagourtzis might face future federal prosecution.

If convicted in state court, Pagourtzis could be sentenced to life in prison, but he has the possibility of parole after 40 years because he was a minor at the time of the shooting.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

MESQUITE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Mesquite Police arrested a man on capital murder charges in the death of a 2-year-old girl on Sunday, March 24.

Toron Eugene Williams, 30, of Mesquite is in jail with bond set at $250,000.

Toron Eugene Williams

Police said they received a 911 call from a home in the 1100 block of Wildflower Lane around 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

The caller said a 2-year-old child who lives there was found unresponsive in her bed.

By the time officers got there, the child had been rushed to a hospital by her mother.

The little girl was pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts at the hospital were unsuccessful.

The mother is not currently suspected of involvement in her child’s death, police said.

Police have not said what Williams’ relationship was to the child or her mother.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Two 17-year-olds have been arrested and charged with capital murder in the shooting death of a Dallas apartment complex manager earlier this month, police say.

Manuel Anzaldua was killed on March 14 after, police say, he was shot during a robbery at the Vineyards at Forest Edge apartments in northeast Dallas. Anzaldua was a manager at the complex.

Through the investigation, police found that Janelius Howard and Quinderrius Johnson were responsible for the robbery and deadly shooting.

Janelius Howard (left) and Quinderrius Johnson mugshots (Credit: Dallas PD)

The two teenagers were arrested and charged with capital murder. They are currently in jail with bonds set at $500,000 each.

COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) – Mitchell Conrad Jones, 36, of Kenner, Louisiana, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Capital Murder.

“Police and prosecutors never forget a victim, even from a cold case. Their relentless efforts brought a murderer to justice and brings some solace to the family,” said Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Mitchell Conrad Jones, 36, of Kenner, Louisiana (credit: Collin County Criminal District Attorney)

On July 20, 2009, Jones and two accomplices lured the victim to a house in Dallas. Once at the house, Jones attacked the victim from behind and dragged him into a darkened garage. Jones then strangled the victim to death with a cord. Jones and the accomplices searched the victim’s body and car for money or other valuables, and stole his car radio.

After the murder, Jones loaded the victim’s body into the trunk of the victim’s car. He and the accomplices then drove from Dallas up to Melissa. They parked the victim’s car in an abandoned parking lot and left the car there with the victim’s body in the trunk. Melissa Police Department discovered the victim’s body seven days later.

After nearly a year of investigation, the case went cold. Nine years later, the murder case was re-opened by the Melissa Police Department, the Texas Rangers, and the Collin County District Attorney. After a cold case review with prosecutors, Texas Ranger Reuben Mankin and Melissa Detective Brian Kile ultimately discovered new evidence which led to the arrest of Mitchell Jones, Stacy Johnson, and Jasmine Salaz. The cases against Johnson and Salaz are still pending.

The jury found Jones guilty of Capital Murder. Judge Ray Wheless presided over the trial and assessed the automatic punishment of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM/CNN) – Texas lawmakers considered a bill that would allow a woman who undergoes an abortion procedure to possibly be charged with capital murder — a crime punishable by death in Texas.

House Bill 896, introduced in the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee, would remove the exception in the penal code for criminal homicide that applies to women and medical professionals and allow them to be charged with murder of an unborn child.

The measure would be a blanket ban on abortion procedures in the state, allowing the state to enforce the bill “regardless of any contrary federal law, executive order, or court decision.” The landmark 1973 US Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade affirmed the legality of a woman’s right to have an abortion under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.

“A living human child, from the moment of fertilization on fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum, is entitled to the same rights, powers, and privileges as are secured or granted by the laws of this state to any other human child,” the bill says.

After a marathon hearing — that stretched until 3 a.m. — HB 896 was left pending in committee. Republicans currently hold a majority in both chambers of the Texas Legislature.

The committee’s chairman, Republican Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano), said last week that he would not allow a bill out of committee that “targets the woman with either civil or criminal liability,” according to the Dallas Morning News. Yet, he said he would grant a hearing for any bill requested by a member. CNN has reached out to Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office for comment as to whether he would sign the bill should it pass the legislature.

The committee heard from over 300 witnesses during Monday’s hearing on HB 896 that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday morning. According to Leach, 446 witnesses had registered their approval for the bill, with 54 against.

Democratic state Rep. Victoria Neave said she’s “trying to reconcile” how supporters of the bill would do to a woman “the exact same thing that one is alleging that she is doing to a child,” by making her eligible for the death penalty.

Texas state Rep. Tony Tinderholt, a Republican who introduced the bill, argued that the legislation does “not specifically target women” nor is he “specifically criminalizing women,” but “equalizing the law so that everyone that is culpable or takes part in what I call murder … can be punished.”

This isn’t the first time Tinderholt attempted to pass such a bill. In 2017 he filed the Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act, which also would have allowed abortion providers and women who undergo an abortion to be charged with murder.

The hours-long hearing remained largely civil until the committee heard from its first panel opposed to the bill.

“The bill authors know that this legislation is unconstitutional because of federal judicial precedent set by Roe v Wade,” NARAL Pro-Choice legislative intern Jasmine Wang said. “So even giving this bill a hearing is both a waste of time and resources.”

Leach took issue with Wang’s testimony and went on to grill Wang on her stances on abortion. He also accused NARAL’s witnesses of “sniggering” and “laughing” during others’ testimonies.

“Chairman Jeff Leach entertaining this bill and giving it a hearing proves that the anti-abortion’s relentless and coordinated attempt to shame and criminalize women who have abortions as well as the doctors who perform that care is dangerous and out of touch with the majority of Texas who believe abortion should be safe and legal,” Delma Catalina Limones, the communications manager for NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, said in a statement provided to CNN.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The-CNN-Wire & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company contributed to this report.)

CARROLLTON (CBSDFW.COM) – A teenager who came forward as the mother of a newborn found buried in a flowerpot in a Carrollton cemetery was charged with capital murder in the baby girl’s death.

Jazmin Lopez, 18, was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Denton County jail. She remained in custody Wednesday, with bail set at $500,000.

Jazmin Lopez mugshot (Credit: Carrollton PD)

On March 11, caretaker for the Perry Cemetery, Paul Price told police he found the remains of an infant in a flowerpot. She weighed six pounds and still had the umbilical cord attached to her.

On March 27 police made a plea to the public in hopes of locating the baby’s parents.

A couple days later, Lopez came forward. She provided a buccal DNA swab and gave detectives consent to search her phone.

Lopez told police she gave birth to a girl — named Kailen — alone, passed out while holding Kailen and that the baby was dead when she awoke.

Detectives found images of a Kailen taken on February 4 in which she was was deceased, according to Lopez’s arrest-warrant affidavit. They also saw conversations between Lopez and another male. She was seeking information on how to abort her pregnancy sometime between 4-5 months into her pregnancy.

Perry Cemetery in Carrollton (credit: CBS 11 News)

On April 12 Lopez changed her story to police. She claimed that for months she sought an abortion and her family didn’t know she was pregnant.

In her arrest-warrant affidavit, Lopez told police she gave birth in a closet and wrapped the baby in a shirt. Lopez said she covered Kailen’s mouth to quiet her cries and held the baby while she cleaned up the blood.

After throwing her placenta in the trash, Lopez said she put Kailen in a basket in the closet, covered in blankets – but not her face and went to eat breakfast.

Then Lopez called a friend to help her get the baby out of the apartment. While waiting for her ride, according to the arrest-warrant affidavit, Lopez finished cleaning up the blood in the closet and put Kailen in a backpack.

Lopez told police “she knew for sure the baby was no longer alive” by the time she got to the car, according to the arrest-warrant affidavit.

“She wasn’t moving like she was before.”

Lopez told police they then drove to a park to hash out a plan to get rid of Kailen’s body. They went to Home Depot and bought the flower pot.

They buried Kailen in the flowerpot and Lopez’s friend took it back home where it stayed in the car overnight.

The friend met with Lopez at Perry Cemetery the next day on February 5

Detectives observed Lopez didn’t have anything in the home to care for a newborn – no diapers, bottles or wipes.

They determined she intentionally didn’t seek help from her grandmother, father or uncle who were home when Kailene was born.

Lopez is currently behind bars on a $500,000 dollar bond.

• Baby Moses Law

If you have a newborn that you’re unable to care for, you can bring your baby to a designated safe place with no questions asked. The Safe Haven law, also known as the Baby Moses law, gives parents who are unable to care for their child a safe and legal choice to leave their infant with an employee at a designated safe place—a hospital, fire station, free-standing emergency centers or emergency medical services (EMS) station. Then, your baby will receive medical care and be placed with an emergency provider.