LONGVIEW, Texas (EAST TEXAS NEWS) – A jury found a Longview woman guilty of shooting and killing her boyfriend.
Angelita Ruiz, 45, is charged with murdering Joshua Huffman, 32, her boyfriend and the father of four of her children, on April 29, 2020. Police found Huffman with a gunshot wound to the head that endangered his life. He was transported to the hospital, where he later died.
On the fourth day of the trial, Friday began with testimony from an expert witness on domestic violence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The expert noted that Ruiz now appears to be in a new, seemingly stable relationship with another man and with her son.
The prosecution argued that this kind of assessment is typically made immediately after the incident or murder, not four years later.
In their closing arguments, the defense first addressed the fact that Ruiz possessed a gun illegally. They argued that it was legal for her to have it in her home and on her way to the vehicle, and that since she was traveling from her home to pick up Huffman’s vehicle, a few steps on public property should not make a difference. The prosecution argued that Huffman could have been a victim in the relationship all along, noting that Ruiz had her own income and ownership of the house and vehicles, which could indicate that she held “control” over the relationship.
The prosecution also reminded the jury that Ruiz had sent aggressive text messages to Huffman before the murder, damaged his property to get him to come home, and contradicted her claim that she wanted him to leave. They said that when Huffman replied “I’m on my way,” Ruiz responded with a vulgar remark and said, “It’s too late.”
The jury retired to deliberate around 11:10 a.m.
The trial began on Tuesday, and the prosecution presented evidence such as the aggressive texts Ruiz sent Huffman and a video of her burning his important documents. The defense argued that Huffman could also have threatened Ruiz, making her feel unsafe and acting in self-defense.
Ruiz took the stand on Thursday and testified that Huffman threatened her over the phone and accelerated his car toward her before she shot him. She said she believed he was going to run her over. The prosecution argued that Ruiz had invited him to her house and showed a text she sent minutes before the shooting in which she said she had a weapon and would point it at him.
The trial resumed Friday morning.
