ALAMOGORDO, NM - A man convicted of the shooting death of a New Mexico police officer will spend the rest of his natural life behind bars.
Dominic De La O, 27, recieved a life sentence without the possibility of parole in the killing of Ferguson, New Mexico police officer Anthony Ferguson, according to a New Mexico State Police statement obtained by Fox News on Tuesday.
A jury had previously found De La O guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, resisting or evading an officer, and criminal trespass in a Nov. 8 decision.
De La O had fled from police in a July 2023 incident in which officers sought to stop him for driving a vehicle without lights. After crashing into a light pole, De La O fled his vehicle, later shooting Ferguson in the head with an illegal sawed-off shotgun. The suspect was subsequently shot in the leg and apprehended at an area home.
Ferguson, an 11-year veteran of the Alamogordo Police Department, died at an El Paso, Texas hospital the next day.
Law enforcement officers from across the state of New Mexico later attended a funeral service for Ferguson.
Another New Mexico man was arrested and charged with providing the illegally modified firearm to De La O. Jonah Apodaca, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in the matter, according to Fox. Authorities obtained Apodaca's DNA from the murder weapon, facilitating a federal conviction for the illegal alteration of a firearm.
A spokesperson for the New Mexico State Police mourned Ferguson's loss in a statement recognizing the sentence.
"The conviction and sentencing of the person responsible for this senseless murder brings some measure of justice, but it will never replace the loss of Officer Ferguson."
Ferguson is survived by both of his parents, four brothers, as well as a daughter and a son.
Dominic De La O, 27, recieved a life sentence without the possibility of parole in the killing of Ferguson, New Mexico police officer Anthony Ferguson, according to a New Mexico State Police statement obtained by Fox News on Tuesday.
A jury had previously found De La O guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, resisting or evading an officer, and criminal trespass in a Nov. 8 decision.
De La O had fled from police in a July 2023 incident in which officers sought to stop him for driving a vehicle without lights. After crashing into a light pole, De La O fled his vehicle, later shooting Ferguson in the head with an illegal sawed-off shotgun. The suspect was subsequently shot in the leg and apprehended at an area home.
Ferguson, an 11-year veteran of the Alamogordo Police Department, died at an El Paso, Texas hospital the next day.
Law enforcement officers from across the state of New Mexico later attended a funeral service for Ferguson.
Another New Mexico man was arrested and charged with providing the illegally modified firearm to De La O. Jonah Apodaca, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in the matter, according to Fox. Authorities obtained Apodaca's DNA from the murder weapon, facilitating a federal conviction for the illegal alteration of a firearm.
A spokesperson for the New Mexico State Police mourned Ferguson's loss in a statement recognizing the sentence.
“This tragic event has left an indelible mark on our law enforcement community, and our hearts continue to go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Tony Ferguson. His bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten."
"The conviction and sentencing of the person responsible for this senseless murder brings some measure of justice, but it will never replace the loss of Officer Ferguson."
Ferguson is survived by both of his parents, four brothers, as well as a daughter and a son.
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