Lubbock Man Guilty of Shooting Death Avoids Prison Time

A man who pled guilty of shooting his girlfriend has avoided a prison sentence by accepting a lesser punishment.

Jason Mercado, 53, was placed on probation following a guilty plea for the shooting death of his girlfriend in 2020. Instead of serving the normal five years to life in prison, Mercado will stay on probation for 10 years.

Mercado's lawyer, Fred Stangl, argued that, instead of murder, a charge of manslaughter would better suit his client's situation.

According to Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, A Lubbock County District Attorney also said that review of evidence and autopsy reports show that Mercado's charge points closer to manslaughter than murder.

QUICK LEGAL FACT: In it's essence, manslaughter differs from murder in the state of Texas in that it depends on the individual's state of mind. A common example is a reckless driver on the phone or not paying attention who hits and kills someone. This person would be charged with manslaughter since they were acting recklessly instead of maliciously with intent to kill.

2020 Murder Case

In March, 2020, police responded to a shooting near 79th and I-27 in Lubbock following a domestic dispute. When they arrived, they found the body of 29-year-old Kayla Quintero who was shot and remained unresponsive.

LPD arrested Jason Mercado for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Quintero, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mercado was also accused of threatening his neighbor with a firearm following the murder.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal continued by saying that Mercado's attorney indicated his client does not bear a criminal history and, within the four years since the shooting, he has exhibited good behavior while on bond.

Mercado accepted the plea deal and will face up to 10 years in prison if the probation is revoked.