Oscar Rosales was found guilty of capital murder in the death of Corporal Charles Galloway. Now, prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty.
HOUSTON — Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a man who killed a Harris County deputy constable in 2022.
On Friday, Oscar Rosales was found guilty of capital murder in the death of Corporal Charles Galloway.
On Monday, the punishment phase began in Rosales’ trial. The defense didn’t make an opening statement, but the state is expected to call several witnesses to the stand as they pursue the death penalty.
It’s a process that’s expected to go on for the next two weeks.
It took the jury about three hours before they came to a unanimous decision and found Rosales guilty last week.
RELATED: GUILTY | Death penalty to be sought for man who killed Harris County constable deputy in 2022
Rosales killed 47-year-old Deputy Constable Charles Galloway during a traffic stop three years ago. Rosales stood quietly as the verdict was read. Behind him, Galloway’s family and a courtroom full of law enforcement officers watched.
The shooting
Just after midnight on Jan. 23, 2022, Galloway pulled over a white Toyota Avalon for a traffic stop on Beechnut near the Sam Houston Tollway.
Prosecutors showed that Rosales got out of the Toyota and immediately opened fire. Galloway was killed before he could even get out of his patrol vehicle.
“You saw the evidence of what Oscar Rosales is capable of. You saw Oscar Rosales exit the driver’s side of his vehicle armed with an AK-47, and without hesitation, pump 22 rounds into the driver’s side of Corporal Galloway’s patrol vehicle,” a prosecutor said on Monday. “Oscar Rosales has shown time and time again that he is dangerous, and even in custody, he poses a danger to those in his society.”
During the trial, Rosales claimed that he thought he was being followed by security guards or cartel members after an interaction at a strip club, but prosecutors were able to prove that his explanation didn’t make sense.
The manhunt
An international manhunt was launched after the shooting. Rosales was eventually arrested in Acuna, Mexico.
He had been wanted for 25 years in the United States after he was convicted and sentenced for a previous aggravated assault.
Court records showed that he was in the country illegally.
Who was Galloway?
Galloway had spent more than 12 years with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office. He had most recently been assigned to the Harris County Toll Road Division and was working nights so that he could train other deputies. According to the constable at the time, Constable Ted Heap, Galloway was a mentor to young law enforcement officers, teaching them how to be safe and efficient on the job.
“He was very much loved by the women and men he served with,” Heap said.
Galloway is survived by his daughter, sister and all of the law enforcement officers who were trained and mentored by him.
“Corporal Galloway was very much loved by the men and women he served with,” Heap said. “There’s a lot of broken-up officers who he meant a lot to in their lives.”
Heap said Galloway decided to go on a night shift so that he could be a field training officer.
“He meant a lot in their lives,” Heap said. “He was the one who was sitting in the front seat with them. He was the one who was teaching them what to do and how to get safely to their families.”