A 17-year-old from McKinney is facing life in prison for capital murder.
Emiliano Miguel Zapatero, 17, reportedly killed two men in McKinney in 2024. The Collin County District Attorney’s Office announced on April 1 that he was convicted of capital murder. Due to his age, he faces the statutory minimum of life in prison, with possible parole after 40 years.
“This conviction and life sentence deliver accountability for the murder of two men,” said Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis in a press release. “No family should have to bury loved ones because of this kind of senseless violence.”
Zapatero was 16 years old at the time of the murder, but was certified to stand trial as an adult due to the gravity of the crime. According to Collin County court records, a jury convicted him of capital murder on March 11.
The Deadly Shooting
Officers with the McKinney Police Department responded to a reported shooting near Chestnut Street, south of downtown, on November 9, 2024, according to the release. When they arrived, they found two men with gunshot wounds.
Responders transferred the victims to Medical City McKinney, where they were later pronounced dead.
Investigators collected evidence at the crime scene, including surveillance footage of the alleged murder.
“The video showed Zapatero repeatedly attempting to obtain a firearm from another person at the scene,” the release reads. “After gaining control of the weapon, Zapatero shot the two victims as they attempted to flee.”
Zapatero allegedly fired 13 shots total, then used the gun to strike both men in the head before fleeing.
Detectives Monte Robertson and Mark Brydges led the investigation. Several days later, they found and arrested the suspect.
Zapatero was wanted on a warrant for capital murder of multiple victims, according to Collin County Jail records. He was booked on June 19, 2025, and held on a $2 million bond.
The Trial
A jury heard Zapatero’s case on March 10 and 11, according to court records.
Assistant District Attorneys Alex Oestreich and Ann Mathew prosecuted the case, with help from D.A. Investigator Jeremy Bigham, per the release.
After reviewing the video evidence and witness testimony, the jury convicted Zapatero of capital murder.
Judge Andrea Thompson sentenced the suspect to automatic life in prison, which Texas law requires for a “certified juvenile offender.” Due to his age, he will be eligible for parole after 40 years, with no time off for good conduct.
“Our thoughts remain with the victims’ families as they continue to grieve,” Willis said.
The Law On Juvenile Murder
When a 14-year-old committed murder in Alabama, he was sentenced to mandatory life in prison without parole, according to Justia. That changed in 2012, when the Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama that such sentencing constituted “cruel and unusual punishments,” banned by the 8th Amendment.
In response, Texas eliminated its ability to sentence juveniles to life without parole in 2013, according to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. Instead, those aged 17 and younger were offered the possibility of parole after 40 years. This led to the sentencing in Zapatero’s case.
Across America in 2016, there were 2,310 inmates serving life without parole for crimes committed as juveniles, according to The Sentencing Project. But in 2017, the Supreme Court ruled in Montgomery v. Louisiana, invalidating all such sentences and directing state officials to review and update sentences for those serving time.
