SAN ANTONIO – A capital murder case dating back to 2016 ended Friday after one defendant was sentenced to life in prison and the other had his case dismissed.
While D’Anthony Carter’s case was dismissed, Olanda Taylor received a life sentence in the 175th Judicial District Court.
Taylor and Carter, both now 26, were charged at the time with the robbery and murder of a convenience store clerk.
On June 7, 2016, Zachary Benavidez, 23, was working at the Diamond Food Mart on Vance Jackson Road when Carter and Olanda Taylor allegedly walked in to rob the store.
Benavidez struggled with one of the teens and was shot seven times, police said. Authorities also said a customer was hit once in the leg.
Taylor had taken a 50-year plea deal in exchange for his testimony against Carter.
Carter has had about seven different defense attorneys withdraw from the case. In 2023, the case was transferred to a different district court.
Earlier this year, Carter’s bond was reduced and was able to get out of jail in April, according to court records.
On Friday, Taylor no longer wanted to testify against Carter and was then sentenced to life in prison.
After Taylor’s sentencing, the state then dismissed its case against Carter due to insufficient evidence.
In 2016, Taylor gave KSAT 12 a jailhouse interview and claimed his innocence, despite police saying he admitted to the crime.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales released a statement Friday afternoon regarding Taylor’s life sentence.
“Today’s life sentence reinforces our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable,” Gonzales said in a statement. “While we cannot undo the loss of Zachary Benavidez’s life, we will continue to stand with his family and all victims, fighting for justice and accountability.”
Taylor is eligible for parole after serving 30 years in prison.