Press Coverage

April 29, 2006

Questions Abound In 1996 Murder Convictions

KAMC28 Local News

Ten years ago, two men were convicted of murdering a Littlefield convenience store clerk. Now, there are questions whether the wrong men are in prison.

The prosecution's recent confession that one of the men didn`t receive a fair trial and should receive a new one, as well as evidence putting two other men at the crime scene, causes doubts about who really did it. It could lead to both men getting new trials and possibly getting out of prison.

In 1996, Evagelina Cruz, a mother of four, was shot nine times while working the graveyard shift at the Jolly Roger in Littlefield.

"I`m asking for justice for the Cruz family," said Juan Chavez, a Borden County Commissioner who knew both Alberto Sifuentes and Jesus Ramirez ten years ago. "There were three injustices done here. I`m waiting for justice to clear (them both)."

Ramirez and Sifuentes were tried and convicted, but DNA evidence never placed their fingerprints at the scene.

The state has now recommended Sifuentes get a new trial.

Recent court records state both men had insufficient defenses. An alibi, placing the men in Lubbock, instead of Littlefield, was never interviewed.

And then there's the bombshell: two brothers from Levelland match the description of witnesses and were placed in the area at the time of the murder, but they were never interviewed by investigators.

"All the evidence on these two guys in Levelland outweighs Ramirez and Sifuentes," says Chavez.

Rosalinda Vela is Alberto Sifuentes' oldest sister. She says after a decade, she's ready for justice to be served.

"I want justice. Somebody else did it, and my brother is paying for it," she says. "I'm ready for my brother to come home, to be here and love us. I know he's innocent."

Attorneys from both sides will be in Lubbock on Thursday to wrap up the court proceedings. Eventually, a recommendation will be given to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which will come down with a final decision.