On Friday, July 28, 2023, Simeon Bonilla-Rubio, a 24-year-old resident of Coppell, Texas, was found guilty of Capital Murder for the 2021 shooting death of 19-year-old Cassity Hinojosa. The jury delivered the verdict at 5 p.m., approximately two hours after they began deliberation, determining that Bonilla-Rubio was responsible for the fatal shooting of the pregnant teenager.
The incident took place on April 28, 2021, when Bonilla-Rubio was involved in two vehicle crashes and fled the scene of the second one, leaving behind his 19-year-old girlfriend, Cassity Hinojosa, with gunshot wounds to her neck. Tragically, Hinojosa succumbed to her injuries at the hospital after her boyfriend shot her in their vehicle.
Detectives Hunter Gay and David Bearden from the Denton Police Department led the investigation into the case, which led to Bonilla-Rubio's arrest. Following the car crashes, Bonilla-Rubio tried to evade authorities by fleeing to Dallas, but he was eventually apprehended after authorities successfully tracked his Uber ride.
Upon his arrest, Bonilla-Rubio was charged with murder, and later, he was indicted for capital murder due to the fact that his victim, Cassity Hinojosa, was pregnant at the time of the tragic incident.
Throughout the trial, Assistant District Attorneys Michael Graves and Sarah Wood vigorously prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. They were assisted by DA Investigator Rodney Bolin, as well as Victim Intervention Specialists Kizzy Thomas and Lydia Pluscht, who provided support and assistance to the grieving family during the legal proceedings.
Ultimately, the 158th District Judge Steve Burgess sentenced Simeon Bonilla-Rubio to life without the possibility of parole, in accordance with the mandate by the Texas Legislature for capital murder convictions.
