Press Coverage

Texas Ranger admits giving incorrect testimony in trial

Betsy Blaney

Associated Press

LUBBOCK - A Texas Ranger has admitted giving incorrect testimony during the trial of two men convicted in the 1996 slaying of a convenience store clerk, but denied intentionally misleading anyone.

During a hearing challenging the two men's convictions, lead investigator Sal Abreo conceded that descriptions of the suspects in his reports didn't match information given to another investigator by the victim as she lay dying.

"I believe they were close enough or similar enough to be the same people," Abreo said.

His testimony Monday came during an appeal seeking new trials for Jesus Ramirez and Alberto Sifuentes. The men were convicted in the armed robbery and slaying of Evangelina Cruz and sentenced to life in prison.

Attorneys say Sifuentes and Ramirez were easy marks for authorities rushing to solve the August 1996 killing in Littlefield. Both were poor, legal immigrants who spoke little English.

On Monday, Abreo denied duping a prosecutor who wrote a memo claiming he was mislead into filing the case by the investigator.

Although a state crime lab tested tennis shoes discovered in Ramirez' home and found they didn't match a footprint at the crime scene, Abreo testified during trial that no shoes had been recovered. On Monday, he admitted that was incorrect and said he didn't tell prosecutors about it. Recently, appellate lawyers found a memo showing Abreo was the one who turned in the shoes about a week after the murder.

Abreo's testimony had been delayed because of undisclosed medical reasons. He remains on medical leave from the Texas Rangers.

The Mexican consulate enlisted the help of a Dallas law firm to get the convictions of Sifuentes and Ramirez thrown out, a step consular officials usually reserve for death penalty cases.

Defense attorneys claim the men's trials were rife with false testimony and the result of a shoddy investigation. One witness conceded she was drunk after a daylong binge and another couldn't have been at the crime scene when she claimed, an investigation by appellate attorneys found.

Final arguments in the appeal were set for Dec. 21.