Central Texas woman convicted of capital murder in uncle’s death

Jurors returned a guilty verdict Wednesday afternoon in Fairfield in the capital murder trial of a woman accused of masterminding a burglary that led to her uncle’s death in an exchange of gunfire with her boyfriend, who also died.

Amber Hope Halford, 20, was convicted in the death of her uncle, Douglas Carr Hurst, 45, who was shot to death in March 2015 after interrupting a break-in at his rural Freestone County home.

Prosecutors were not seeking the death penalty, so she was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

I would like to thank the Hurst family for continuing to stand strong for Doug Hurst in this fight for justice, and for the jury that delivered a full measure of justice to the defendant, Amber Halford,” Freestone County District Attorney Chris Martin said.

“This verdict was another statement to those that want burglarize and terrorize law abiding citizens that if you choose that path there will be a high price to pay in Freestone County.”

Closing arguments got underway at 9 a.m. Wednesday after both sides rested on Tuesday.

Another jury returned a guilty verdict earlier this month in Fairfield in the trial of the first of the three defendants charged with capital murder in the death of a rural Freestone County man.

Lawson Abram, 20, who went on trial on Oct. 10, was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole because prosecutors weren't seeking the death penalty.

Hurst, who was married on March 3, 2015, was in Galveston on a honeymoon trip with his new wife and family and had returned to secure the residence after a break-in on March 7.

He was alone in the house at around 1:30 a.m. March 9 when Halford’s boyfriend and two other teenagers broke into the back door of his rural home at 135 Private Rd. 871 just off Highway 84, according to court documents.

He was awakened by the noise of the break-in, grabbed a semiautomatic pistol and exchanged gunfire with Halford’s boyfriend, Joshua Mulkey, 19, who was found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest in the backyard of the home.

Hurst was taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Waco where he later died after he was removed from life support.

Halford, Abram and O'Jarion McLenon, were charged in the death.

A fourth suspect, Hurst's nephew, Dustin Sanoja, of Teague, arrested on his birthday and was charged with burglary in connection with the first break-in, during which two laptop computers, two rifles, and two pistols were taken.