Texas Man Sentenced To 50 Years After Killing Wife After Over Phone Disagreement

A South Texas man has been sentenced for the 2017 death of his wife. Alvaro Mata Jr. accepted a plea deal of 50 years in prison for shooting his wife five times in front of two of their sons.

Mata Jr. claimed what happened was an accident due to frustration. His wife, 36-year-old Jessica Cortina, would not let him look at her phone, after which Mata claims to have accidentally shot her at their home in San Benito, reports the Associated Press.

The 40-year-old was sentenced on March 1 for the murder of his wife by State District Judge Adolfo Cordova. The plea deal came about to spare his four sons from having to go to court and relive what happened to their mother. Specifically, it would spare his 17-year-old and 4-year-old from testifying as they were witnesses.

Originally, Mato Jr. had been facing up to 99 years in prison for the murder before accepting the plea deal. Prosecutors asked for 20 to 50 years as part of the deal, which Mato accepted and the judge finalized.