MCKINNEY, Texas — A McKinney teenager has been convicted of capital murder in the 2024 shooting deaths of two men, according to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office.
Emiliano Miguel Zapatero, now 17, was found guilty by a jury for the November 9, 2024, killings near Chestnut Street. Because he was 16 at the time of the offense, Texas law mandates a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 calendar years.
Officers with the McKinney Police Department responded to a shooting call and found two victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both were transported to Medical City McKinney, where they later died.
Investigators said surveillance footage played a key role in the case. The video showed Zapatero attempting to obtain a firearm from another person at the scene. After gaining control of the weapon, he fired 13 shots at the victims as they tried to flee. Authorities said he then struck both men in the head with the firearm before leaving the scene.
Detectives Monte Robertson and Mark Brydges led the investigation, which resulted in Zapatero’s arrest several days later.
Due to the severity of the crime, Zapatero was certified to stand trial as an adult. Following the guilty verdict, Judge Andrea Thompson imposed the automatic life sentence required under Texas law for juveniles convicted of capital murder. The sentence requires him to serve 40 calendar years before becoming eligible for parole, with no reduction for good-conduct time.
“This conviction and life sentence deliver accountability for the brutal murder of two men,” District Attorney Greg Willis said. “Our thoughts remain with the victims’ families as they continue to grieve.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Alex Oestreich and Ann Mathew, with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Jeremy Bigham.
