VILLALOBOS TRIAL VINDICATES ZAVALETTA'S 2008 CLAIMS

(Ed.'s Note: As jury selection begins for the trial of indicted Cameron County District Attorney's racketeering trial, we dug through our files and came upon this missive written by former DA candidate Peter Zavaletta when he challenged Villalobos for the position. At the time Peter posed the question: "Did money from an admitted murderer find its way to the campaign account of the district attorney (Villalobos)?" Early indications contained in the federal indictment against the former DA suggest that Zavaletta's suspicions were more prescient than he himself could have imagined.)


January 19, 2008
By Peter Zavaletta

"...Today...based on sworn testimony and official documents, (it has been revealed that) money from an admitted murderer who is still at large has found its way into the campaign account of District Attorney Armando Villalobos.
On February 13, 2007, with a jury waiting to be selected and empaneled, Amit Livingston pled guilty to
the brutal murder on September 30, 2005 of 32 year old Hermila Hernandez. The offense carried a penalty range of no less than 5 years and no more than 99 years confinement in state penitentiary, or life, plus a fine of up to $10,000.

Under the plea agreement offered by the District Attorney, however, Livingston was to only serve 23 years in exchange for his guilty plea. Before reporting to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division to serve his sentence, however, Livingston was given 60 days to “get his life straightened out.” 

The District Attorney did not object.

Thereafter, on April 26, 2007, Hermila Garcia, the mother of Livingston’s victim, and accompanied by her son in law Jose Luis Hernandez and daughter Monica Garcia, met with District Attorney Armando Villalobos in a conference room at the District Attorney’s office. In that meeting, Hermila Garcia asked Villalobos for the name of the lawyer he had personally recommended that Mario Hernandez (not related to Jose Luis Hernandez)  the victim’s husband, hire to recover Livingston’s $500,000 cash bond.
According to Hermila Garcia’s sworn testimony, “Mr. Villalobos did not deny recommending a lawyer to Mario but did turn red then white when I asked him that question, and would not answer it. I asked him the question again, and he refused to answer it.”

In that same meeting, when Hermila Garcia expressed outrage over how Villalobos “had not objected to Amit Livingston (being allowed to) walk out of the courtroom a free man, Mr. Villalobos pointed to the door and told us that if we came to express our indignation, that we could leave through the same door that we came in from.”

The next day (April 27), Hermila Garcia called Mario Hernandez at his cellphone and asked him for the name of the lawyer Villalobos had recommended to him. “Mario stuttered then answered ‘Eddie Lucio**,’ ” says Hermila Garcia.

Approximately an hour later, Monica Garcia would receive a phone call on her cellphone from Corina Galvan, secretary to Armando Villalobos. According to Hermila Garcia’s sworn testimony, “Corina Galvan told (Monica) that the lawyer representing Mario Hernandez was Eddie Lucio.”

Eddie Lucio was formerly associated with Armando Villalobos when the two were in private practice in Dallas. In legal papers Lucio signed on behalf of Mario Hernandez, Lucio used a Dallas address. The State Bar of Texas, however lists Eddie Lucio’s work address as 810 E. Van Buren, Brownsville, Tx.
On February 14, 2007 - 1 day after Amit Livingston was given 60 days “to get his life straightened out” and 59 days before he would fail to surrender to authorities, Eddie Lucio recovered the $500,000 cash bond deposited by Amit Livingston. According to court papers, Lucio was allowed to keep $200,00 “to cover attorney fees, costs and expenses.”
On October 17, 2007, Eddie Lucio of 810 E. Van Buren, Brownsville, Tx. made a $5,000 campaign contribution to Armando Villalobos.

Amit Livingston is still at large.

TIMELINE:

September 30, 2005: Amit Livingston murders Hermila Hernandez at point-blank range.
October 4, 2005: Cameron County park rangers find victim’s nude body on a sand dune north of Beach Access 6 on South Padre Island. She had been shot to death with a .40 caliber weapon.
February 13, 2007: Amit Livingston pleads guilty to murder. He is given 60 days to “get his life straightened out.” The District Attorney does not object.
February 14, 2007: Eddie Lucio, former associate of Armando Villalobos, recovers $500,000 cash bond left by Amit Livingston. Lucio keeps $200,000 for himself.
April 18, 2007: Amit Livingston fails to surrender to authorities to begin his 23 year prison sentence. Warrant is issued for his arrest.
April 26, 2007: Armando Villalobos tells victim’s family they can leave his office through the same door they came in from.
April 27, 2007: Victim’s husband tells victim’s mother Armando Villalobos had recommended that he hire Eddie Lucio to represent him.
April 27, 2007: Secretary to Armando Villalobos calls victim’s sister and tells her Eddie Lucio is lawyer who represented victim’s husband.
October 17, 2007: Eddie Lucio makes $5,000 campaign contribution to Armando Villalobos.
January 19, 2008: Amit Livingston is still at large.

May 1, 2013: Jury selection underway for Villalobos trial.