Man convicted of murder in death of Washington police officer shot by deputy sentenced to 29 years

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A Washington authorities antheral recovered blameworthy of execution for his relation successful the 2022 decease of a constabulary officer who was mistakenly changeable by a sheriff’s lawman was sentenced Friday to 29 years successful prison.

A Clark County Superior Court justice sentenced Julio Segura of Yakima successful the decease of Vancouver constabulary serviceman Donald Sahota, The Columbian reported. More than a twelve radical gave statements astir Sahota successful tribunal earlier the sentencing.

A Clark County jury past period convicted Segura, 23, of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery, possession of a stolen conveyance and eluding police. He was acquitted of attempted murder, attempted kidnapping and first-degree burglary.

The assemblage deliberated for 8 hours aft a proceedings that lasted respective weeks.

Sahota, 52, was disconnected work and astatine location successful the metropolis of Battle Ground connected Jan. 29, 2022, the time helium was fatally shot. Law enforcement from aggregate agencies had chased Segura to Sahota's vicinity successful transportation with an equipped robbery astatine a state station.

Segura stabbed Sahota arsenic the 2 struggled successful Sahota’s driveway. Moments later, Clark County sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan Feller arrived and mistakenly changeable Sahota. Coroners said Sahota died from gunshot wounds to the torso.

Prosecutors argued that Segura caused Sahota’s decease by committing oregon attempting to perpetrate different crimes, saying helium “engaged successful behaviour which created a sedate hazard of decease to immoderate person.”

During Thursday’s hearing, Sahota’s wife, Dawnese Sahota, told Judge Nancy Retsinas of her husband’s resilience and enactment ethic. She said her 33 years with him were not enough.

“This calamity that is present my world has near maine brokenhearted," she said. "Shattered.”

She said she holds Segura 100% liable for her husband’s decease by creating the disorder that led to his shooting.

Vancouver Police Chief Jeff Mori told the justice of Sahota’s compassion arsenic a trainer for the bureau and the mode helium ever taught officers to dainty the radical they brushwood arsenic they, too, would privation to beryllium treated.

Sahota’s mother, Darlene Baun, shared memories of her son’s puerility and their conflict with maltreatment and homelessness erstwhile helium was a boy.“I’m truthful arrogant of my son. He went done truthful much, and helium ever tried to bash good,” she said. “He loved helping people.”

Prosecutor Tony Golik asked the justice to condemnation Segura astatine the apical of the sentencing range. He called Segura’s actions “dangerous, convulsive and self-centered.”

Segura apologized to the Sahota household astatine the hearing.

“I recognize there’s thing I tin accidental to alleviate each that symptom that I caused," Segura said. “There’s thing I tin say, but that from the bottommost of my heart, I americium sorry.”

Segura’s defence squad submitted astir 1,200 pages of records detailing Segura’s tumultuous upbringing with stints successful foster attraction and counseling. They asked the justice to see a shorter sentence.