BENTONVILLE -- It took a jury about six hours Wednesday to find Mauricio Alejandro Torres guilty of beating and killing his son.
The seven men and five women found Torres guilty of capital murder and battery.
Torres, 50, of Bella Vista remained seated as Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren read the verdicts.
Torres showed no emotion after hearing the jury's decision. Karren polled the jurors who said the decisions were unanimous.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case. The jury could decide to sentence him to life in prison without parole. Sentencing proceedings are to begin this morning.
It's Torres' second trial. He was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to death, but last year the Arkansas Supreme Court overturned the convictions and ordered a new trial.
Six-year-old Mauricio Isaiah Torres died March 30, 2015, at a Bella Vista medical clinic. A medical examiner testified that the boy's death was caused by a bacterial infection resulting from sodomy and chronic child abuse.
Torres testified Tuesday, admitting that he abused his son but claimed that his wife committed most of the abuse.
Cathy Torres, 48, testified Tuesday and blamed her husband for abusing their son. She pleaded guilty in 2016 to murder and battery charges, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith told jurors in closing arguments that Torres not only crushed his 6-year-old son's spirit, but broke his body.
"He shoved the stick up his son's rectum, puncturing it, causing the infection that led to his death," Smith said.
Smith said Isaiah was beaten, tortured and murdered.
"You have heard that there are matches made in heaven," Smith told jurors. "Mauricio Torres and Cathy Torres were matches made in hell. You have seen their work."
Bill James, one of Torres' attorneys, asked jurors to set their emotions aside and return with verdicts based on the evidence.
James described some of the testimony as exaggerations. "Does anyone think that they had him living in a trash can for 30 days and washed him with bleach," James asked.
Smith attacked James' claims. "He pulled that boy's teeth out with pliers," Smith said. "He (Mauricio Torres) sat here and told you that."
The couple's 12-year-old daughter testified earlier this week. She was 7 when her brother died. She told jurors that she saw her parents physically abusing her brother. Two of Isaiah's teachers testified about seeing bruises on his body.
James said Cathy Torres was in charge of the household and spent the majority of time with their three children while her husband worked. James said Cathy Torres caused most of the injuries to Isaiah and her husband ignored the abuse because he was afraid of losing his family.
Prosecutors introduced photographs of Isaiah that showed his body covered in old and new bruises.
Cathy Torres denied causing any of her son's injuries or even seeing the bruises and wounds. "That's a mom that can't face the heat for what she did to her children," James said.
Smith urged the jurors to use their common sense and reminded them that Isaiah was the victim of chronic child abuse.
"Any day could have been the day that his parents could have killed him," he said.
Metro on 03/05/2020