SAN ANTONIO – A man who was found guilty of paying someone $10,000 to kill his ex-girlfriend was finally sentenced for that crime Friday.
After several resets, Teodoro Torres, 54, was sentenced by Judge Kevin O’Connell to 12 years in prison.
Torres in 2019 had asked a friend to kill his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Briseño, because she wouldn’t let him see his son.
The friend ended up telling Briseño and the Texas Rangers about the plan.
Later, the friend set up a meeting between Torres and who he thought was a hitman, but was actually an undercover Texas Ranger.
In a video of that conversation that was shown during the trial, Torres can be heard saying that he wanted Briseño and her current boyfriend dead and to “gouge her eyes out.”
During the sentencing hearing, Torres said the entire incident was a misunderstanding and he only said those things because he thought the hitman was going to kill him.
“I knew I was a dead man and I went along with the story because I didn’t know what else to do,” Torres said.
Torres also told the judge that he was currently in the late stages of liver disease and needed a liver transplant soon or he would die.
The defendant said he still loved Briseño and never wished any harm toward her.
When Briseño testified on the witness stand, she painted a different picture of who Torres was.
Briseño said that while they were together, Torres threatened her on numerous occasions. She also testified that she had a protective order against him.
During closing arguments, the defense asked for a five-year sentence while the state asked for 20 years, but O’Connell decided on 12 years. The judge also issued an order that prohibits the defendant from contacting Briseño and their son.
Torres must serve half of his prison sentence before he is eligible for parole.