2006-11-16

Probation in Hammer Killing

Excerpt

10-years probation...that's the verdict tonight for a man convicted of killing another man with a hammer. 

Octavio Bautista

10-years probation...that's the verdict tonight for a man convicted of killing another man with a hammer.

25-year old Octavio Bautista was sentenced by a Potter County jury earlier tonight for killing Juan Sanchez.

Defense attorneys say Bautista beat and killed Sanchez with the hammer only because Sanchez had assaulted him earlier that day with the same weapon.

It was August of 2005 when police found the body of Juan David Sanchez in the front yard of a home in the 700 block of N. Wilson, the 35 year old died from blunt force trauma.

Police say he was hit in the head with a hammer after reportedly using it to assault several
people in the area of Wilson and Roberts.

The weapon was taken away from Sanchez when a large group managed to subdue him.

Police say at that point Sanchez was no longer a threat, but Bautista assaulted him anyway.

"Mr. Sanchez was probably no longer a threat at that time because he had been subdued and at that time a third party came in and decided to assault Mr. Sanchez when he probably didn't need to." -Sgt. Kevin Dockery, Special Crimes

If convicted if any other crime in the next 10 years, Bautista will have to serve out the remainder of his sentence in prison.

Trial Begins in Hammer Killing
A man accused of killing another man with a hammer is on trial in Potter County. 24 year old Octavio Bautista is charged with the August 2005 murder of Juan David Sanchez. The murder happened here in the 700 block of N. Wilson. Prosecutors say the suspect and victim argued earlier in the...
Last Modified 11/15/2006 04:51:24 PM

AMARILLO — The family of Juan Sanchez left the courtroom in tears after Sanchez's convicted killer received a sentence of 10 years probation.

After less than three hours, a jury found Octavio Eymar Bautista, 25, guilty of murder when he used a claw hammer to bludgeon Sanchez on the night of Aug. 7, 2005. Sanchez allegedly had used the same hammer in attacking someone in the 700 block of North Roberts Street and then again on the 700 block of North Wilson Street, where he was killed.

Bautista, who faced up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, received a lesser sentence because the jury determined he acted in "sudden passion." The determination reduces the penalty to two to 20 years. The conditions of Bautista's 10-year probation will be determined at a later date. — Amarillo Globe-News