EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Kyle Austin Lopez, 37, was sentenced to 30 years in state prison by an El Paso jury after being found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the 2023 bludgeoning and shooting of Anthony Alfredo Chavez, the El Paso District Attorney’s Office announced.
The conviction stemmed from an altercation on June 28, 2023, in the driveway of a home on the 2000 block of Diciembre Drive in East El Paso. Surveillance footage from the residence showed Lopez assaulting Chavez with a handgun before the gun discharged, fatally striking Chavez in the head.
Chavez was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
During the trial, jurors watched the home surveillance video, which captured the tragic moment. After deliberating for less than three hours, the jury issued a guilty verdict on April 7, 2025, and Lopez was sentenced the following day.
Lopez’s criminal history, including nearly two decades of prior felony convictions in California, was a significant factor in the jury’s decision, with the El Paso District Attorney’s Office emphasizing the defendant’s status as a continued threat to society.
District Attorney James Montoya thanked the jury for their diligent work in considering all evidence, particularly Lopez’s criminal past, during the sentencing phase.
Assistant District Attorneys William Dixon, Ingrid Rojas-Kinne, and Travis Fortune represented the state of Texas in the prosecution of this case.
