A Texas father, who was accused of gunning down an alleged drunk driver after he hit and killed his two sons, has been acquitted of murder charges.
According to the Associated Press, David Barajas wept and hugged his wife, Cindy, when the jury returned a not guilty verdict on Wednesday.
The prosecution had accused Barajas of fatally shooting Jose Banda after he struck and killed his young sons in 2012.
David Jr., 12, and Caleb, 11, were helping their father push a truck down a road by their home when they were fatally hit by Banda. The state argued that in a fit of rage, Barajas then went to his home, grabbed a gun and killed the 20-year-old motorist execution style.
However, the state’s case faced many obstacles including a lack of evidence, no eye witnesses, no murder weapon and a community sympathetic for the grieving father.
The jury deliberated for just three hours, before returning their verdict in favor of the defendant.
Defense attorney Sam Cammack alleged that some of Banda’s family members, who fled the scene, could have been the shooter. He also repeatedly stated that his client was innocent and his only focus after the accident was trying to save his sons.