Juan Vicente Zavala-Lopez, 47, was sentenced to life in prison on April 4, 2025, after a Dallas County jury found him guilty of murder in a case that involved a violent daylight shooting and an attack on police officers.
The case was prosecuted by Max Ternosky and Kristen Jackson, with support from DA Investigator Michael Csaszar and Paralegal Stephanie Thompson. The Dallas Police Department led the investigation.
According to testimony, Zavala-Lopez chased down his roommates in a truck and fired 13 shots through their vehicle’s passenger window and windshield. The victim, 60-year-old Ruperto Salgado, was killed before he could even unbuckle his seatbelt.
Two Dallas Police officers driving nearby witnessed the shooting. When they attempted to intervene, Zavala-Lopez fired at them and fled. During a brief pursuit, he made a U-turn and resumed firing at the officers, striking one in the chest. The bullet narrowly missed the officer's protective vest.
At trial, Zavala-Lopez claimed his actions were triggered by a dispute over a prank in which Salgado allegedly urinated on his bed. The jury deliberated for just 40 minutes before returning a guilty verdict and a life sentence.
