3 men sentenced for 2017 murder of Army combat veteran
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Three men were sentenced to prison on Friday, May 17, after the murder of an Army combat veteran back in 2017 in East El Paso.
Man accepts plea deal in 2017 murder of Army combat veteran
Brandon Olsen, Tristan Chilton, and Adam Acosta were all sentenced on Friday after accepting plea deals for their role in the death of Tyler Croke, 23.
Acosta was the first to be sentenced and was given 35 years minus the seven years that he’s currently served for first-degree murder.
Chilton was also sentenced to 35 years for murder minus the seven years for time served and Olsen was given a life sentence for murder.
Rory Croke, Tyler Croke’s little sister, gave a victim impact statement, saying that their family has been changed forever and that she will never forget that day.
Kristen Croke, Tyler Croke’s mother, also gave a statement, saying that Tyler saved their lives when growing up and expressed that the defendants should never see the outside world.
“My son was taken from you. You brutally took his life with no mercy,” Kristen Croke said.
As we have previously reported, a total of five defendents were indicted in the case.
Stephanie Fernandez, who was the getaway driver, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2018. Zachary Johnston, another co-defendant, pleaded guilty in December 2019 and was sentenced to life in prison.
The five defendants are accused of slitting Croke’s throat during a violent drug robbery inside Croke’s apartment in the 1500 block of Lomaland on May 7, 2017.
Fort Bliss officials confirmed Olsen was an active duty soldier stationed at the post at the time of Croke’s murder. Johnston and Acosta were separated from the Army one month prior to the murder.
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