District judge assigned capital murder case against suspected Walmart shooter

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) ⁠— Six weeks after the Walmart shooting that left 22 dead and two dozen more injured, Judge Angie Juarez Barrill of the 346th District Court has been assigned the capital murder case against suspect Patrick Crusius.

Barrill was assigned the case Tuesday afternoon during a random automation process. At the request of the district attorney’s office last week, the district clerk agreed to allow state prosecutors and defense attorneys to be present when Crusius’ indictment was entered into the district clerk’s system Tuesday, which then randomly assigned a case number and judge.

Crusius is facing capital murder of multiple persons, with the district attorney’s office saying they will seek the death penalty against the man suspected of opening fire at the busy East El Paso store on August 3.

The suspected gunman is a 2017 graduate of Plano Senior High School and had been enrolled in Collin College in McKinney, Texas, from 2017 through Spring 2019. El Paso Police Department Chief Greg Allen confirmed Crusius left behind what is believed to be a manifesto citing the “Hispanic invasion of Texas” as his reasoning behind the August 3 shooting.

Barrill, who was first elected in 2004, is most well-known for overseeing the county’s Veterans’ Court which launched in 2009. Although the trial is expected to be held outside of El Paso County, she will be responsible for handling pre-trial motions and matters pertaining to the case before the trial date.

In addition to being assigned a judge, the court unsealed 11 documents pertaining to the case. Those documents include the Indictment and several motions including the appointment of local counsel. The documents are expected to be released Wednesday.