Oscar Rosales was found guilty of capital murder in the death of Corporal Charles Galloway.
HOUSTON — A jury handed down a sentence Friday for a man who killed a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constable in 2022.
Oscar Rosales was sentenced to death. He was found guilty of capital murder in the death of Corporal Charles Galloway last week. The punishment phase of the trial began Monday.
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.
What happened
On January 23, 2022, Galloway was gunned down during what should have been a routine traffic stop near the Sam Houston Tollway. Rosales, driving a white Toyota Avalon, was pulled over just after midnight but immediately exited his vehicle and opened fire with an AK-47, pumping 22 rounds into Galloway’s patrol car before the officer could even step out. Galloway was killed instantly in what prosecutors described as a savage and unprovoked attack.
Rosales fled the scene, triggering an international manhunt that eventually led to his capture in Mexico. The shooter had been a fugitive for 25 years following a previous aggravated assault conviction and was in the country illegally at the time of the murder. During his trial, Rosales claimed he thought he was being followed by security guards or cartel members, but prosecutors successfully dismantled this explanation.
Corporal Galloway had dedicated more than 12 years of his life to the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office. He had specifically chosen to work night shifts so he could serve as a field training officer, mentoring young deputies and teaching them how to stay safe on the job.
Galloway’s legacy lives on through his daughter, sister, and the countless officers he trained and influenced throughout his career.