State to pursue death penalty for Tyler man accused in murder of 17-year-old
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - A court hearing in the case of a Tyler man accused of capital murder revealed the state’s intent to pursue the death penalty.
Andres Urrutia, 21, was arrested in July 2021 following the shooting death of a 17-year-old on Omega Drive in Tyler. On Friday, he appeared in Judge Austin Jackson’s court, and the state submitted their intention to pursue the death penalty against Urrutia.
Urrutia and his codefendant, Lorenzo L. Martinez, 23, also of Tyler, were each charged with capital murder and booked into the Smith County Jail on $1 million bonds. Urrutia was also charged with aggravated robbery, unauthorized use of a vehicle, deadly conduct and criminal mischief, for an additional collective bond of $900,000.
A third suspect, Jason Edward Rhodes, 22, was arrested in December 2022 on a warrant issued in August 2021 for the same capital murder charge. Rhodes was found after having crashed his car in Tyler and fleeing on foot. He was arrested and booked in the Smith County Jail on a $1 million bond.
It has not been announced whether the state will pursue the death penalty for Urrutia’s codefendants.
Urrutia’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 12.
Related
- Early Wednesday fatal shooting under investigation by Tyler police
- 2 accused in June shooting death booked into Smith County Jail
- Man arrested in Tyler on capital murder warrant
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