WACO, Texas – A convicted murderer, Carnell Petetan, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the brutal killing of his estranged wife in 2012. McLennan County District Attorney, Josh Tetens, announced the sentence on October 19, marking the end of a lengthy legal battle.

Petetan, 46, had broken into his wife Kimberly’s apartment in an attempt to persuade her to retract a report of domestic violence she had made to the police. In a desperate bid to escape, Kimberly tried to flee alongside her nine-year-old daughter, but Petetan shot and killed her in front of the child.

Before the murder, Petetan had already served almost two decades in prison for attempted murder charges in Jefferson County. Shockingly, he was released on parole just five months before committing the heinous crime against his wife.

In 2014, the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted Petetan for capital murder. Despite claims of intellectual disability, the jury convicted him and handed down a death sentence. However, in 2021, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld his conviction but overturned the death penalty, ordering a new punishment hearing.

Upon assuming office in 2023, District Attorney Josh Tetens reviewed Petetan’s case along with his team. They decided to seek a second death sentence only if it could be definitively proven that Petetan was not intellectually disabled. As part of the evaluation process, Tetens enlisted a qualified neuropsychologist to assess Petetan’s mental capacity. The assessment included a thorough examination of Petetan’s school and juvenile records, which indicated the possibility of intellectual disability.

Ultimately, the neuropsychologist was unable to rule out Petetan’s intellectual disability. A different neuropsychologist, hired by Petetan’s legal team, concluded that he did indeed have an intellectual disability. In light of this, prosecutors chose not to pursue another lengthy trial and endless appeals. Instead, Petetan’s original guilty verdict was upheld, resulting in a sentence of life in prison without parole.

While the evidence did not support seeking another death sentence, District Attorney Tetens expressed relief that Petetan would never walk free again. Despite his violent past, the law prohibits a death sentence for those with intellectual disabilities. With this ruling, justice has been served, and Petetan’s heinous acts will be punished for the rest of his life.