Dustin Sanoja, 20, charged with Burglary of a Habitation of the Douglas Carr Hurst home in Teague on March 7, 2015, had received 6-years Deferred Probation for testifying in the Capital Murder case of The State of Texas vs. Amber Hope Halford in the shooting death of their uncle.
Since the beginning, Sanoja denied any involvement in the burglary that took place the first night where two pistols, two rifles, and two laptops were stolen from the Hurst home.
Evidence of his involvement was confirmed just days before Halford’s trial began by way of a telephone conversation between Sanoja and his ex-girlfriend where he discussed with her his participation.
Sanoja states that though he and Halford are cousins, they never liked each other and didn’t get along; and only had contact because he was very close friends with JD Mulkey, who was Halfords’s boyfriend.
He explained that Halford and Mulkey were trying to get money because they believed she was pregnant and that the couple needed to obtain a place to live, a vehicle, and money for bills so they could live together with their child.
Sanoja states that they went to the Hurst home looking for cash and when none was found, Mulkey took the guns and laptops to sell for cash.
“I only went along to help my brother out,” Sanoja claims. “JD paid me for helping by giving me two of the guns to sell for money.”
“I didn’t know anything about the second night until my sister told me Monday morning when I woke up,” he concludes.
Sanoja was released on bond shortly after his arrest in 2015; and currently lives in Waco and works at M&M Mars.
“The State made this offer because there is absolutely no evidence that Dustin Sanoja was involved in any way, from burglary to murder, on the second night of events at the Hurst home,” explains District Attorney Chris Martin.
“His sentence was abated until he fulfilled the terms of his plea agreement,” concludes Martin. “He has done that. Official sentencing will take place sometime in November.”
