Residents are infuriated by the sudden change of heart from the district attorney in El Paso, Texas, following his decision to forgo pursuing the death penalty for Patrick Crusius, the individual who has confessed to murdering 23 people at a Walmart because of their Hispanic heritage.

Although he campaigned with the vow to pursue capital punishment for Crusius, Democratic District Attorney James Montoya notified the families of the Walmart victims that he would not seek the state’s most severe penalty, as reported by El Paso Matters.

Montoya has not provided an explanation for his reversal, citing a gag order as the reason he is unable to publicly discuss the most significant case in the city’s history. 

However, the families of the victims and the residents of Texas’ sixth largest city have made it clear they want the death penalty of Crusius.  

‘We’re not going to have full closure until there was a trial with a death penalty on there,’ Dee Margo, who was mayor when the shooting and attended the funeral of each victim, told DailyMail.com Tuesday.

‘I think it’s wrong. I don’t understand. We lost 23 people.’ 

The 2019 mass shooting, one of the deadliest in US history, rocked the West Texas city, as Crusius drove 10 hours from Allen, Texas, to the border for the sole purpose of hunting down Latinos in the 85% Hispanic community.

Many victim’s families did not want to comment because a gag order has been issued for any potential witnesses in this case, however, outrage in the city erupted on social media. 

Angry comments flooded online forums sharing Montoya’s decision, particularly because the Democrat just took office in January, beating former Republican DA Bill Hicks who had made it clear he would seek the death penalty. 

 ‘Keep voting democrat and this is the outcome you get,’ Instagram user  @ludda_gxtti posted. 

‘My condolences to the families. They don’t deserve this.’

Many pointed out Montoya would have never been elected in the largely Democratic city if had expressed any unwillingness to take the death penalty off the table. 

‘El Paso leaders have failed the city of EL PASO and its people,’ stated @ismael_dvl.

 Another local quipped, ‘Can we send him to the El Salvador prison?

Montoya’s office declined an interview with DailyMail.com, citing the gag order, but added that a statement would be forthcoming regarding his decision.

A spokeswoman confirmed Montoya had said he would seek the death penalty on the campaign trail and added he said he would weigh input from all the families of the victims. 

This is the second time Crusius’ life has been spared, as federal prosecutors also had the chance to ask for the death penalty, as he was tried separately for federal hate crimes in 2023. 

The Biden Administration decided not to seek the death penalty in the El Paso mass shooting, despite them seeking it in two other mass shootings- a decision Margo called ‘racist’.

Crusius pleaded guilty to the murder of the 23 victims and wounding 22 others, as well as hate crimes, in federal court.

He was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences in prison in 2023.

At the time, many survivors were disappointed in the decision by federal prosecutors, but held out hope that in the Lone Star State, the local prosecutor would deliver the outcome so many feel Crusius deserves. 

However the state’s case against Crusius has been riddled with set backs, as this is this the third DA to handle the case. 

Former district attorney Yvonne Rosales, was forced out of office in 2022 after she was accused of incompetence and mishandling cases.

Voters turned on the Democrat when they began to fear she was not capable of prosecuting Crusius, the most important legal case in the city’s history. 

After she was ousted, Gov. Greg Abbott appointed local lawyer Bill Hicks, a Republican.

Upon taking control, Hicks made it clear that his number one case was the Walmart mass murder.

However, Hicks was voted out in November, largely based on his political affiliation, not his creditentials as El Paso’s constituents are heavily Democrat. 

‘It’s a reflection of not having the right character and fortitude to do what’s right,’ Margo said of Montoya.

‘To say because of the screw ups of the prior DA and the lack of evidence, that’s a bunch of bologna. (Crusius) already admitted guilt, 90 counts, in a federal case. Don’t tell me the evidence is tainted.’