TRAVIS COUNTY — A Travis County jury on Monday found a man guilty in the 2016 capital murder of two-year-old Juleanna Arevalo-Chavez.
According to the Travis County District Attorney's Office, it took 45 minutes for the jury to unanimously reach a guilty verdict for Stephen Cortez Jr.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Cortez struck the child on her torso, lacerating her liver and causing the internal bleeding that led to her death. At the time, Cortez was in a months-long dating relationship with the child's mother.
According to the DA's office, Cortez had repeatedly abused the child in various ways, including hitting her, stuffing her in a drawer, dowsing her in water and forcing her to stand in front of an air conditioner long enough for her to develop hypothermia, spraying her in the face with a water bottle, and stuffing her mouth to stop her from crying.
Officials said Cortez took the stand in his defense and admitted to the repeated abuse but denied intentionally or knowingly causing the child's death.
Additionally, the prosecution presented evidence from the defendant's cell phone through his web history that included searches for how to hide bruises and how to fight CPS among other incriminating information. Officials said he had previously evaded CPS by hiding the child under a futon on one occasion and by fleeing the house with the child and the child's mother, and living in a car for a week while family members and CPS workers were looking for the child.
"We feel honored to have been Juleanna's voice and are grateful to these citizens of Travis County for hearing very difficult evidence and arriving at a just verdict," said Assistant District Attorney Amber Platt.
The defendant is automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
