Former CBP Officer’s New Trial Results in Reduced Sentence
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WESLACO - A man originally sentenced to 25 years in prison will spend less than a fifth of the time outlined behind bars.
Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer Jose Elizondo was found guilty of murder and was sentenced for the death of Fermin Limon in 2011.
Elizondo shot and killed Limon outside a nightclub located north of Mission in 2010. The defense made an appeal and Elizondo was given a new trial based on an error on the charge.
On Monday, Elizondo went to court with an amended plea. He pled guilty of murder and was sentenced to only five years in prison.
Authorities said Elizondo was off duty the night he was involved in a fight outside the club. Based on witnesses’ accounts, Limon pulled a gun on Elizondo but didn’t fire any shots.
In return, Elizondo pulled the trigger on his government-issued handgun and fired twice, hitting Limon in the chest and leg.
Limon’s daughter, Mireya, said she remembers the event vividly.
“I saw my husband and he told me, ‘Get down. Your dad has been shot.’” she said. “I see my dad on the floor. I try to get him. By the time I do, he’s not breathing.”
Mireya said her father left a legacy behind. She said her dad fulfilled his dream of walking her down the aisle two months before his death.
“As I grew, I saw him work harder for what he wanted and his dreams. He achieved whatever he set his mind to,” she said. “That’s the kind of man he was. He was our hero. He was the best man in my life and the most important one.”
She said she’s aware life changed for both families that night.
“Both families were affected, but his family gets to see him. We don’t get to see our father ever again,” she said.
The Limon family said five years in prison for the death of their father isn’t justice.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to Elizondo’s attorney. We didn’t hear back by news time.
According to the judgment of conviction, Elizondo was given credit of 2,123 days for time served.
There was no plea agreement Elizondo and the state. Elizondo pled guilty and the judge handed down a sentence.
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