An Ector County jury found an Andrews man guilty of running over and killing his girlfriend in Odessa two years ago and sentenced him to life in prison.
Humberto Polanco, 37, was charged with murder for striking Veronica Carrillo, 38, with a Chevrolet Tahoe on Dec. 20, 2020, near 16th Street and Moss. He was also charged with accident involving death and tampering with evidence for allegedly washing the Tahoe afterward.
The jury convicted him of all three counts and gave him the maximum sentence on all three counts – two life sentences and 20 years in prison. All three sentences will run concurrently and he won’t be eligible for parole for at least 30 years.
Polanco exercised his right not to testify and defense attorneys Michael McLeaish and Jason Leach argued the state failed to prove its case against him because there was no physical damage to the vehicle that struck Carrillo, a mother of four and grandmother of two.
Earlier this week, Carrillo’s sister, Rebecca Gutierrez testified Polanco was a jealous and violent man who abused Carrillo for most of their two-year relationship.
Andrews Police Officer Anthony De la Cruz also testified the police were routinely called to Polanco’s home and he’d warned Carrillo she could end up dead if she didn’t leave Polanco.
Prosecutors Kortney Williams and John Briggs handled the case for the Ector County Attorney’s Office and Judge Justin Low presided.
