A man who gunned down a Mesquite police officer last year after being confronted by his wife and daughter over an alleged extramarital affair was found guilty of capital murder Wednesday and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Jamie Jaramillo, 38, was charged with capital murder in the death of Richard Houston, a 21-year veteran Mesquite police officer who was fatally shot while responding to a domestic call on Dec. 3, 2021.
With the guilty verdict, Jaramillo will spend the rest of his life in prison without parole. Victim impact statements are expected to take place on Thursday.
Police said Jaramillo shot Houston and then shot himself after a fight with his wife and a woman with whom he was allegedly having an affair.
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During the first day of the trial on Tuesday, jurors were shown videos from police body cameras and dash cameras that recorded Houston's murder.
During testimony on Wednesday, jurors saw crime scene photographs and heard from Dallas County chief medical officer Dr. Jeffrey Barnard who performed the autopsy.
Houston suffered three gunshot wounds, one of which was stopped by his ballistic vest.
Barnard testified about the fatal injury sustained by the gunshot near Houston’s collarbone. The gunshot went through Houston’s left and right lungs, heart and exited in his lower backside, he said.
The officer likely suffered pain and was conscious for about 15 seconds after being shot, according to the autopsy findings.
The state rested its case Wednesday afternoon.
Jaramillo’s defense said he did not realize who he was shooting and that the chaotic scene in the parking lot included confrontations in person and over the phone, including with his alleged mistress’s own husband.
