SAN ANTONIO — It was an emotional ending Tuesday night for a family who has fought for justice for more than a year.
A jury found Joseph Harris guilty of shooting and killing Isaiah Orozco at a downtown bus stop last year.
“On February 28,2022, my life was shattered,” Connie Esparza said.
Esparza is Orozco’s mother. She had been in the courtroom since the murder trial began last week. By Tuesday night, she was filled with mixed emotions.
“I’m still sad because my son is not here,” she said. “I’m very hurt but I thank God that justice was served.”
Orozco was 21 when prosecutors said he was shot more than a dozen times by Harris at a bus stop off St. Mary’s last February.
Investigators said the two were having an argument and both pulled out a gun. When Orozco walked away, Harris shot him in the back and in the head.
The entire incident was captured by a VIA bus surveillance camera. Harris was indicted for murder in April of 2022.
“Isaiah was gunned down by a coward,” Esparza said.
The defense argued throughout the trial, Harris was defending himself. Ultimately, a jury found him guilty of the murder. Hours after the guilty verdict, that same jury sentenced him to 68 years in prison.
“In order for me to heal, I have to forgive you,” Esparza said to Harris in the courtroom Tuesday.
Esparza said expressing forgiveness was not easy, but it was something she knew her son wanted her to do.
“He was very forgiving, so I started working on that and I told myself and I talked to God, I was just like, I forgive him,” Esparza said.
Harris can appeal the conviction since this was a jury trial. As of Tuesday night, he is the Bexar County Jail awaiting transfer to a state prison.