HARRIS COUNTY, TX – On Friday, June 6th, a Texas jury found Oscar Rosales guilty of the capital murder of a peace officer. The jury took three hours to deliberate before reaching a verdict, and the sentencing hearing will take place on Monday, June 9th at 10:00 a.m.
Rosales, who killed 47-year-old Deputy Constable Charles Galloway during a traffic stop in 2022, stood quietly as the verdict was read, with Galloway’s family and a courtroom full of law enforcement officers watching as justice was served, KHOU11 reported. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the murder of Galloway.
During the trial, Rosales claimed that he thought he was being followed by security guards or cartel members after an interaction that had gone south at a strip club. However, prosecutors were able to prove that his explanation did not make sense. “If you are in fear for you life — either from security guards or the cartel — he’s lying … are you really going to turn on your blinker and slow down?” prosecutor Nathan Moss said.
Prosecutors said that Galloway pulled over a car that was being driven by Rosales, who got out and immediately fired at the patrol car, ABC13 reported. Galloway was shot multiple times and died at the scene. From the beginning, investigators called it an ambush attack. After the shooting, Rosales fled to Mexico. Days after the shooting, he was captured in Ciudad, Acuna, which is right across the border from Del Rio, Texas.
Rosales, who is believed to be from El Salvador, was transported back to Houston and booked into the Harris County Jail, where he remained for the duration of his trial. Court records indicate that he was in the United States illegally and that he had been wanted for 25 years in the U.S. after he was convicted and sentenced for a previous aggravated assault.
Galloway had spent more than 12 years with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office before he was tragically killed in the line of duty. He had most recently been assigned to the Harris County Toll Road Division and was working nights so that he could train other deputies who were newer to the field.
At the time, Constable Ted Heap said that Galloway was a mentor to young law enforcement officers, teaching them how to be safe and efficient on the job. “He was very much loved by the women and men he served with,” Heap said. Galloway is survived by his daughter, sister, and all of the law enforcement officers who were trained and mentored by him.
