Bench trial date set for convicted Cameron County murderer
A bench trial date was set for a Harlingen man convicted on a separate murder charge.
Anthony Eliff will face a judge on December 2, 2024, for a bench trial in connection with the death of his girlfriend.
As part of the bench trial, a judge will hear and rule on the case without a jury. Eliff decided to have his case go to bench trial against the advice of his defense attorney.
Eliff was sentenced to 75 years in October 2023 in connection with the death of his roommate, Guillermo Garcia. Garcia was found with a single gunshot wound to the chest on February 2020.
READ ABOUT HIS SENTENCING HERE
The Harlingen Police Department also linked Eliff to the death of his girlfriend, Elyn Loera, whose remains were found near San Benito days after Garcia was killed.
Authorities say Loera originally went missing in 2019 after coming down from Corpus Christi to visit Eliff and hadn't been seen since.
READ MORE: Harlingen man charged with murder in connection to 2019 disappearance of Corpus Christi woman
The indictment against Eliff says Loera was shot to death.
If convicted on Loera’s death, Eliff faces 25 to 99 years, or life in prison, court records indicate.
Records filed by the state show that they intend to have Eliff serve his sentences consecutively if he’s convicted a second time on the separate murder charge.