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March 17, 2009

Miramontes pleads guilty to manslaughter

Jose Luis Joel Miramontes Jr., a 31-year-old Navy recruiter, pled guilty to two counts of manslaughter in connection to the deaths of Shane Morgan, 34, and his 12-year-old daughter, Kaylee E. Morgan on Tuesday.

Morgan was pastor at Hilltop Baptist Church in Berryville. Kaylee was a student at Brownsboro Intermediate School.

Mr. Morgan and his daughter were killed during a wreck on Feb. 13 on Farm-to-Market Road 317. They were riding in their family vehicle, along with Mr. Morgan’s wife, Lisa Morgan — a teacher in the Brownsboro Independent School District — and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter, Emily P. Morgan.

After pleading guilty, Assistant District Attorney Lenda Burnett asked Judge Dan Moore to find Miramontes guilty on both counts. Moore could have deferred finding Miramontes guilty and placed him on deferred adjudication probation during sentencing. Instead, Moore found him guilty and set a sentencing date for May 18.

The indictment against Miramontes also alleged that he used his car as a deadly weapon. Under Texas law, Miramontes will not be eligible for probation if the judge makes an affirmative finding that his car was used as a deadly weapon. That issue will be resolved during sentencing.

Depending on the deadly weapon findings, Miramontes could be sentenced from two to 20 years in the penitentiary or placed on up to 10 years of probation as well as a fine up to $10,000.

“These are emotionally difficult cases”, District Attorney Scott McKee said. “I am relieved that Mr. Miramontes pled guilty and accepted responsibility for the two lives he took. The Morgan family has been through so much. May 18 is going to be a tough day.”

A civil case against Miramontes, filed by the Morgan family, is pending.

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