A man from Houston received a life sentence without parole on Tuesday for the kidnapping and fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend, a mother of four from Pasadena.
Daniel Chacon, 32, has been found guilty of capital murder for the October 2022 killing of his ex-girlfriend, Maira Gutierrez, aged 38. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced this conviction in a recent statement.
According to officials, the couple had ended their relationship approximately one month prior to the tragic incident.
Chacon, the father of Gutierrez’s youngest child, had temporary custody of the 6-month-old baby. The baby resided with him and his new girlfriend, who was pregnant and also shared an older child with Chacon, according to officials.
Gutierrez regularly visited her baby while Chacon was at work, usually around 9 a.m.
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Officials reported that Gutierrez was at Chacon’s apartment in the 3800 block of Red Bluff at around 9 a.m. on the day of her murder. Chacon was not present at the time. While Gutierrez was visiting the baby, Chacon made a phone call and ordered her to immediately end her visit and leave his apartment.
Gutierrez found herself in a chilling situation when she returned to her silver SUV in the parking lot of Chacon’s apartment complex. Little did she know that Chacon was lurking in the backseat, armed with a handgun (according to the report).
Officers from the Houston Police Department discovered Gutierrez’s phone on the side of the 610 Loop, approximately 13 miles away from Chacon’s apartment, after issuing an emergency ping for it.
Chacon later surrendered to Mexican authorities after fleeing to Mexico, according to officials.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stated in a press release that the administration has prioritized domestic violence crimes from the start, citing cases like this as the reason.
Ogg emphasized the tragic nature of the incident, highlighting that the victim, a mother who was taking all the necessary steps to escape an abusive and controlling partner, ultimately lost her life. Ogg believes that the only fair outcome is for the perpetrator to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
