Final defendants sentenced to prison in drug robbery killing of Afghanistan war veteran

A man was sentenced to life in prison, while two other men were each sentenced to 35 years in prison, in the 2017 killing of a Afghanistan war veteran during a drug robbery.

Brandon Olsen was sentenced May 17 to life in prison on one count of murder in connection with the killing of Tyler Kaden Croke, 23, on May 7, 2017, during a drug robbery at the Cantera Apartments at 1501 Lomaland Drive in East El Paso.

Olsen is the third defendant to be sentenced to life in prison in connection with Croke's death. Zachary Johnston pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in 2019, while Stephanie Fernandez was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison by a jury in 2018. Fernandez is the only defendant in the case to go to trial. The other defendants have all pleaded guilty as part of plea agreements.

Tristan Hunter Chilton and Adam Acosta also were sentenced May 17. The men were each sentenced to 35 years in prison on one count of murder for their roles in the slaying.

The sentencing was handed down by 168th District Court Judge Marcos Lizarraga at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.

Olsen, Chilton and Acosta were originally charged with capital murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of murder.

More: Final suspect in killing of El Paso Army combat vet during drug deal pleads guilty

Croke was killed during a drug robbery at his apartment. The defendants beat and cut Croke's throat while stealing three baggies of what appeared to be either cocaine or ketamine from Croke's apartment, a complaint affidavit states. They fled the apartment in a gateway car driven by Fernandez. Croke was left to die in the apartment.

Croke was in the Army and had served a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Acosta, Johnston, and Olsen, who were stationed at Fort Bliss at the time of the killing, are former Fort Bliss soldiers.

Victim's family frustrated it took 7 years for case to conclude

Croke’s mother and sister spoke at a news conference Friday to express their frustration with how long it took to get justice and the 35 year prison sentences handed down to two of the defendants.

"It has been a long road," Tyler Croke’s mother Kjersten Croke said. "It's been seven long and arduous years that we have fought for justice for my son. Today doesn't feel like closure because it won't bring my son back. We were devastated on May 7th, 2017 when we learned of the brutal killing of my son. It was horrific and I don't wish it on my worst enemies. It's a club that no parent ever wants to join."

Rory Croke, Tyler Croke’s sister, said she hopes no family has to experience such a long wait for justice.

"I don't think there's any good feelings coming out of today," she said. "I don't know if you get much closure from what has happened and how long we've had to wait considering it's been seven years, but I do hope that with what has happened, and just the case entirely, that other families won't have to wait this long. God forbid they ever have to go through something like this."

The 35 year prison sentences for Chilton and Acosta are disappointing, the family said.

"DA (Bill) Hicks does know that we are not pleased with the 35 year plea deal offered to them," said Kjersten Croke as she stood next to El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks. "They've already served seven and in 10 and a half years from now we will have to fight when they go up for parole. So this doesn't end for us here today. This continues on for us."

More: Former Fort Bliss veterans face prison sentences in drug robbery murder 'mission'

Hicks said he understood Croke family's pain, but the facts of the case, including the "culpability of each of these individuals," led the district attorney's office to offer plea deals to Chilton and Acosta.

"On behalf of the District Attorney's office, I have tremendous respect for the Croke family," Hicks said at the news conference. "Listen, if it had been my son, if it had been my brother, I absolutely would be in the same position that they were. I would not be satisfied with 35 years for anyone who had been involved in the death of a loved one. I absolutely understand where the family is coming from. Their son, their brother was murdered in a vicious and horrible way and most certainly did not deserve anything like what happened."

Hicks added Fernandez was the "mastermind" of the drug-related killing, while Johnston and Olson were responsible for cutting Tyler Croke's throat. Chilton, who held Tyler Croke's legs down during the killing, provided key information on the slaying to police and was "really the only one who has shown any remorse," Hicks said. Acosta "did not participate in the actual killing. He did stand by with a gun (and) was the lookout person at the doorway," Hicks said.

"We felt that that was justice and that would move those two cases out of the way in order to prepare us for trial on Brandon Olsen," Hicks said. "At the very last minute, he (Olsen) accepted a plea offer to life in prison with the possibility of parole. We feel that that was acceptable because if we had gone to trial, while we feel comfortable we would've gotten a guilty (verdict), a plea of guilty on a lesser charge of murder with possibility of parole does eliminate the ability of appeal. (They) waives their right to appeal on all of our pleas of guilty."

More: Woman gets life in capital murder of Afghanistan war veteran during drug robbery

Hicks said he will help the family fight the release of the defendants on parole.

"While it most definitely is not going to bring their son, their brother back, it does add a sense of finality to the cases in that they're not coming back. There is parole and there are going to be parole issues. As long as I'm district attorney, I would be glad to stand with them to oppose their release on parole because this was a very brutal murder. I hope that they serve every day of their prison sentence and don't get parole, but that's ultimately up to the board of pardon and paroles."

In the end, the family members said they will continue focusing on remembering Tyler Croke for the person he was.

"We love Tyler," Kjersten Croke said. "He was a special person. He was loved. He was a loving father, a loving son, a loving grandson, and a loving brother. We want to remember and honor his memory, not the way that he was tortured and killed."

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Afghanistan war veteran killers sentenced to prison