In this Aug. 12, 2019 photo, mourners visit the makeshift memorial near the Walmart in El Paso, Texas.
Cedar Attanasio/AP
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Cedar Attanasio/AP
EL PASO, Texas — The gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack at a Texas Walmart — one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history — is expected to accept a plea deal in a state court on Monday to avoid the death penalty.
Patrick Crusius has acknowledged he targeted Hispanics on Aug. 3, 2019, when he opened fire in the store crowded with weekend shoppers from the U.S. and Mexico in the border city of El Paso.
Under the offer, Crusius would plead guilty to capital murder and receive life in prison with no possibility of parole, El Paso County District Attorney James Montoya has said.
Texas prosecutors declined to pursue the death penalty. Montoya says the decision was driven by a majority of victims’ relatives who want the case to be over.
Crusius already has been sentenced to 90 consecutive life terms at the federal level after pleading guilty to hate crimes and weapons charges.
If the plea arrangement proceeds, families will be able to give victim impact statements. Dozens of people made emotional statements during a similar hearing in federal court in 2023 that lasted three days.
Crusius, a white community-college dropout, was 21 years old when police say he drove more than 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) to El Paso from his home near Dallas.
Not long after posting a racist rant online warning of a Hispanic “invasion,” he opened fire with an AK-style rifle inside and outside the store. Police arrested Crusius shortly after.
Joe Spencer, a defense attorney in the state and federal cases, said Crusius was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder that can be marked by hallucinations, delusions and mood swings and has suffered from debilitating mental illness for most of his life.
“You are talking about an individual with a broken brain,” he said Thursday.
The people killed at Walmart ranged in age from a 15-year-old high school athlete to elderly grandparents. They included immigrants, a retired city bus driver, a teacher, tradesmen including a former iron worker and several Mexican nationals who crossed the U.S. border on routine shopping trips.
Tuesday was the deadline for Texas families to apply for the state’s first school vouchers. In this week’s episode of the TribCast, hosts Matthew and Eleanor speak with Jaden Edison, the Tribune’s education reporter, about who signed up, the future of the program and why Muslim schools were initially shut out from participating.
Watch the video above or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday.
2026 Texas Tribune
No. 20 Texas A&M (22–5, 5–4 SEC) returns to Bryan‑College Station this week as the Aggies host Sam Houston (14–13, 4–5 SLC) in a midweek matchup at Olsen Field.
The Aggies are coming off a perfect 4–0 week, taking care of HCU in the midweek before sweeping Missouri in dominant fashion to secure their first SEC series win of the season. Nearly every bat in the lineup contributed, and the conference took notice.
Junior infielder Gavin Grahovac earned SEC Co‑Player of the Week honors, while freshman outfielder Jorian Wilson was named SEC Freshman of the Week. It was a strong showcase of the team’s depth, highlighted further by Nico Partida logging the first multi‑home run game of his young career.
While the pitching staff is still working through inconsistencies, the offense continues to provide enough cushion to withstand the occasional rough inning. The starters delivered several solid stretches over the weekend, but the lack of bullpen depth remains a concern if the bats ever go cold. When the offense stalls, games can get out of hand quickly.
Sam Houston enters the matchup having won six of its last eight and hovering just above .500 for most of the season. Outfielder Jeric Curtis leads the Bearkats with a .345 average, five doubles, and two triples. If he reaches base, his speed makes him a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Still, Sam Houston averages fewer than six runs per game compared to A&M’s nine, meaning they’ll likely need an above‑average offensive night to keep pace.
This will be the 139th meeting between the programs, with Texas A&M holding a commanding 93‑43‑2 advantage. The Aggies have run‑ruled the Bearkats in each of the last two matchups, outscoring them 27–4, and carry a three‑game winning streak into Tuesday. If A&M plays to its standard, the midweek streak should remain intact.
Below is all the information for the game:
The Texas A&M vs Sam Houston game starts at 6 p.m. CT from Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in Bryan-College Station
Texas A&M: LHP Cole Hubert
Stats: 0-0, 8.75 ERA, 11.1 IP, 13 K, 3 BB
Sam Houston: RHP Mason Muphy
Stats: 0-0, 8.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 11 K, 8 BB
Radio: Locally Sports Radio 1150/93.7 The Zone
Social: Follow the @AggiesBaseball on X for updates
Internet: 12thMan.com / 12th Man Mobile app for live play-by-play
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
MAGNOLIA, Texas (KTRK) — Texas Rangers confirmed to ABC13 that they have an active and open investigation into Magnolia Mayor Matthew “Doc” Dantzer following allegations of assault against the city’s secretary.
Bryan Emery spoke to ABC13 on behalf of his fiancée, Christian Gable, the Magnolia City secretary.
Gable told her fiancé what happened last October during an out-of-town work conference with Mayor Dantzer.
Emery said Gable, who was pregnant at the time, told him the mayor was walking her back to the hotel.
“He’s like, ‘Well, that only means one thing, once they get past the belly, they come off easier, and he reaches over there and tries to pull her pants down,’” Emery said.
Next, he said his fiancée threatened to kill the mayor, and when they got back to the hotel, Emery said the mayor went a step further towards Gable.
“He turns around and says this is how he needs to deal with you and grabs her by the throat and pins her up – there’s these big silver pillars in front of valet – pins her up against this pillar in front of the valet, she fights her off, turns around and yells at the valet people ‘nobody seen that, nobody’s going to do anything,’” Emery said.
ABC13 reached out to the attorney representing Mayor Dantzer. He sent ABC13 a statement denying the allegations and saying Dantzer looks forward to defending himself through the legal process.
The city’s attorney said they have no comment, but Emery hopes justice will be served.
“I’m really hoping they get everything they need and get him off the streets pretty soon,” Emery said.
The mayor has not been charged.
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