Sandoval Sentenced to Death

Mexican national found guility of killing Border Patrol Agent from La Feria

by Tony Vindell/LFN

A Mexican citizen found guilty of capital murder for slaying an off-duty Border Patrol agent from La Feria was sentenced to death on a count of capital murder.

Gustavo Tijerina Sandoval received the sentence last week in the 197th State District Court in Brownsville a week after the guilty verdict was handed down.

Javier Vega Jr., his father and their wives and three youngsters were fishing on Aug 3, 2014 when Tijerina Sandoval and a second man, Ismael Hernandez Vallejo, showed up along a canal about 3 miles east of FM 1420 near the small community of Santa Monica in eastern Willacy County.

Among the witnesses Vega’s father and a son who described the day Vega Jr. was gunned down as the two families spending a day fishing on one of their favorites spots in a remote area south of the levee off the farm to market road.

The Vegas live in La Feria.

Tijerina and Hernandez were charged with capital murder of a peace officer, attempted capital murder, four counts of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence.

Tijerina, who faced a count of capital murder and another for attempted murder, is believed to be the man who pulled the trigger on Vega and also hit Vega’s father in the hip.

Tijerina was defended by Alfredo Padilla and Nat Perez.

The capital murder trial was held in Judge Migdalia Lopez courtroom and lasted two weeks.

Although the case happened in Willacy County where Lopez has jurisdiction, she filed a change of venue to Cameron County because of so much media coverage.

Hernandez Vallejo’ trial is pending and is scheduled to be held in a state district court in Edinburg.

Witnesses were called by the prosecution led by Tom Cloudt with the Attorney General’s Office in Austin and Chuck Mattingly with the Willacy County District’s Attorney’s Office.