Joe Thomas Estrada v. State

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 24, 2011
Docket04-10-00303-CR
StatusPublished

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Bluebook
Joe Thomas Estrada v. State, (Tex. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION No. 04-10-00303-CR

Joe Thomas ESTRADA, Appellant

v.

The STATE of Texas, Appellee

From the 186th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas Trial Court No. 2008CR5920 Honorable Dick Alcala, Judge Presiding 1

Opinion by: Steven C. Hilbig, Justice

Sitting: Karen Angelini, Justice Steven C. Hilbig, Justice Marialyn Barnard, Justice

Delivered and Filed: August 24, 2011

AFFIRMED

Joe Thomas Estrada was convicted of capital murder for killing Viola Barrios during the

commission of a burglary at her residence. During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury

answered the first special issue in the negative, and Estrada was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Estrada appeals the judgment, contending the evidence is legally insufficient to support the jury’s

verdict, the trial court erred in failing to include a lesser-included offense in the jury charge, and

the trial court erred in making various evidentiary rulings. We affirm the judgment. 1 Judge Dick Alcala is a senior judge sitting by assignment. 04-10-00303-CR

BACKGROUND

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on April 24, 2008, the San Antonio Fire Department

responded to a report of a fire at Viola Barrios’s residence. Stephen Watts, a San Antonio

firefighter, testified that when he arrived the front door of the house was locked and protected by

burglar bars, but the back door was “wide open.” David Nielson, another firefighter, testified he

entered the bedroom and found Barrios dead, lying on the floor next to a bed, and partially

burned by the fire. The first responders also testified they saw trauma to the side of the victim’s

head. Nielson testified the fire flared several times after initially being extinguished, indicating

to him the presence of an accelerant.

After the body was discovered, police and arson investigators were called to process the

scene. Arson Investigator Michael Leroy testified he saw at least two points of origin of the fire

in the house — the mattress in the bedroom and a pile of papers located in the dining room. He

also testified that he found several burn patterns in the residence indicating that an accelerant

was poured on the floor to start the fire. Jim Swindell, a chemist with the State Fire Marshall

arson lab, testified he found gasoline on several evidence samples taken from the residence.

Anthony Guerrero, another arson investigator, stated in his opinion the fire was started anywhere

from two hours to thirty minutes before the fire was reported. He also testified that based on his

sixteen-years experience as an arson investigator, it would not be unusual to have the person who

set the fire watch it burn. Two firefighters testified they saw Estrada watching their activities

from the roof of a house next door to Barrios’s house. One firefighter testified this occurred at

approximately 11:00 a.m., and he watched Estrada climb off the roof and back into the house

through a window.

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San Antonio Police Officer Chris Sawyer testified he was dispatched to assist the

firefighters by controlling traffic in the area. While at the scene he observed a hole in one of the

front windows of Barrios’s home. He told the jury that burglars often make this type of hole to

unlock a window and gain entry into a house. Officer Sawyer also testified that he learned from

Barrios’s family members that the victim’s silver Mercedes was missing, and he reported the

vehicle stolen.

Dr. John Stash testified he performed the autopsy on the victim and in his opinion the

cause of death was an arrowhead embedded in the victim’s skull. The witness described the

arrowhead as a Muzzy 100, which penetrated the skull to a depth of seven centimeters. Dr. Stash

told the jury the victim could not be identified in the traditional manner due to the injuries caused

by the fire. Dr. David Senn, a forensic dentist, testified he identified the victim as Barrios

through dental comparisons.

Ray Rice, who lived two houses away from Barrios, testified that at around 4:30 a.m. on

the morning of the fire he went outside to check on some pipes he had repaired the night before.

He noticed what he thought was the victim’s car parked on the street. He told the jury this was

unusual because the victim almost always parked her car in her driveway. When she parked on

the street, it was in a different location. As he was leaving for work that morning around 8:30

a.m., Rice noticed the car was still there, and he called 911 because he was concerned about the

car. Rice testified that while talking with the 911 operator, he saw a young man he identified as

Estrada run around the corner of the car. He noticed the hazard lights on the car flashed as if

someone were using a remote key device. As Estrada ran by, Rice asked him if he knew who

owned the car. Estrada replied it was Barrios’s car and continued on his route. Rice testified

that as he started to drive off he saw Estrada pass by again. Rice stopped his vehicle and asked

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Estrada his name and where he lived. When Rice threatened to call the police because Estrada

would not respond, Estrada finally identified himself as Joe Estrada. Rice testified he did not see

anyone with Estrada.

Estrada was developed as a possible suspect and the police began to reconstruct his

movements on April 24, 2008. At trial, the State introduced a videotape that showed a person

appearing to use a credit card to buy gasoline at a convenience store at 5:27 a.m. The video

depicts the person apparently putting gasoline in the gas tank of a silver Mercedes and at one

point, opening the trunk, returning to the gas pump for a few moments, then placing something

back in the trunk before getting into the car and driving off. Other evidence established the

credit card belonged to the victim.

Detective Frank McBlain testified that on the morning of the fire he was a patrol officer

working radar in a school zone. He stopped Estrada for speeding and gave him a ticket for

several traffic violations. A copy of the citation was placed in evidence. The vehicle description

and license plate number on the citation demonstrate Estrada was driving the victim’s car. The

ticket was issued at approximately 8:07 a.m.

Christian Resendez, a friend of Estrada, told the jury Estrada called him around 9:30 a.m.

on April 24, 2008 and offered to take him to breakfast. Christian testified Estrada was driving a

silver Mercedes when he arrived at his house, and they went to an IHOP restaurant for

approximately thirty minutes. Estrada then drove Christian home and left. The State introduced

a video recording obtained from the IHOP restaurant surveillance cameras, and Christian

identified himself and Estrada as they were walking into the restaurant. The clock visible on the

video indicates it was 9:32 a.m. when Christian and Estrada entered the restaurant.

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Christian testified Estrada returned to his house later that same afternoon, and they went

to a Best Buy store where Estrada purchased a laptop computer and other computer accessories.

The State placed into evidence a copy of the store’s surveillance tapes. Christian again identified

himself and Estrada as they entered the store. The clock visible on the video indicated 14:37.

Christian said they went back to his house after the purchases were made. Christian’s parents

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