Horacio Javier Pasillas Rodriguez Jr of Aurora, Colorado was only 19 years old when he was wrongfully convicted of 1st degree murder. He was sentenced to prison for life without the possibility of parole. He is now 34 years old and has fought for his innocence since the beginning, 14 years ago.

One morning, in December of 2009 Horacio's life changed drastically. His sister in law to be was brutally murdered by an intruder, who had also assaulted him in the interim.

Horacio was taken in for questioning, where he was interrogated for 2 days. He was very cooperative and answered every question. On the last day of their interrogation, they arrested and charged Horacio with this horrible crime. The day they arrested him, he was charged with first-degree murder of his sister-in-law. Due to his trying to save his sister in law to be, he was now looked at as the perpetrator, not even taking into account he was also a victim.

Horacio was taken into custody and had two public defenders representing him. They had told him he would be looking at life without the possibility of parole. He cried out for his innocence. After about two weeks, his attorneys showed up with positive news. There was unknown male DNA at the crime scene. Horacio was relieved that they would finally see that he was not guilty of this crime. He was hopeful he would be released.

Sadly that never happened… A few weeks go by and his attorneys came back with more positive news… His clothes came back and there was no way he could have committed this crime with how very little evidence was left on his clothing, it just didn’t match what the perpetrator's clothing should look like after a horrendous murder like that, as well as the lack of motive that came with it. Surely this should prove his innocence this time… They had no motive, no matter how much evidence was shown that it was not Horacio they would not let him go.

April 2011 came and he stood trial for the murder of his soon-to-be sister-in-law. It was a 9-day trial where the D.A. had stated things wrongfully, presented fabricated evidence, and prevaricated. Also, an expert on blood splatter, who took the stand, was untruthful to the jury about crucial DNA evidence. Horacio’s time had come for his attorneys to defend him. They only had one day to prove his case, there weren’t any expert witnesses on his behalf due to lack of funds provided by the government, There was no one present to refute the testimonies of the experts who were against him. After a three-day deliberation, the jury came back with a guilty verdict. Horacio Javier Pasillas Rodriguez Jr, 21 years old, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Horacio was sent to prison where he continued fighting for his innocence and for justice to be served. The state appointed another appellate attorney who filed an appeal of the conviction to the higher court. His appeal was denied quickly. Soon after another appeal was filed, which was also quickly denied. In 2016, after almost 7 years in prison, Horacio's parents were able to hire a private attorney.

Lisa Polansky who agreed to represent Horacio, went over his case and saw he was an innocent man. Lisa agreed to fight for Horacio and his family. She worked for six years preparing his 35(c) which is ineffective assistance of counsel. In 2022 the appeal was filed to the district court, and all three judges agreed after reviewing his case that he did not have a good representation at trial. After hearing arguments and expert witnesses testify on Horacio’s behalf this time around the district judge granted him a new trial and vacated his conviction of life without parole.

He was released from prison and transferred to the county jail to await a new trial. In the meantime, the DA appealed the ruling of the judge to a higher court. That stopped any further movement for the moment. Horacio and his attorney weren’t able to get the unknown male DNA released. While awaiting a date for trial they summited a motion for a bond hearing. The judge granted a bond in November 2023 but unfortunately, it was a very high bond. At the bond hearing Horacio's lawyer presented that it had come to light that the former CBI Forensic Scientist Yvonne "Missy" Woods was now under investigation for Anomalies in a sample she submitted, possibility putting all her passed cases in question including Horacio's. During this time they were doing all they could to have Horacio home. He had never had a dollar amount that could free him from this nightmare until now. Five days after being granted bond Horacio and his family received the worst news, after seventeen months of being in county jail awaiting his new trial, the higher court overturned the decision of the judge that was granting his new trial. There would not be a new trial, the bond was revoked, and he would be sent back to prison to serve out his sentence. Horacio’s dreams and hopes of justice finally being served in his case, were sadly gone.

Please help us continue this fight for him and the families to find justice in this case and to finally get the true killer who not only took the victim's life but ruined both families and Horacio’s as well. Please share this story! Please sign the petition! Please help us be his voice! Please keep Horacio in your prayers and pray justice will be served and Horacio be given his freedom and his life back.

The goal is to get the DA to release the unknown male DNA evidence and help catch the real killer in this case.

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Horacio Javier Pasillas Rodríguez Jr. de Aurora, Colorado, tenía solo 19 años cuando fue condenado injustamente por asesinato en primer grado. Fue condenado a cadena perpetua sin posibilidad de libertad condicional. Ahora tiene 34 años y ha luchado por su inocencia desde el principio, hace 14 años.

Una mañana, en diciembre de 2009, la vida de Horacio cambió drásticamente. Su cuñada fue brutalmente asesinada por un intruso, que también lo había agredido mientras tanto.

Horacio fue llevado para ser interrogado, donde fue interrogado durante 2 días. Fue muy cooperativo y respondió a todas las preguntas. El último día de su interrogatorio, arrestaron y acusaron a Horacio de este horrible crimen. El día que lo arrestaron, fue acusado de asesinato en primer grado de su cuñada. Debido a su intento de salvar a su cuñada, ahora se le veía como el perpetrador, sin siquiera teniendo en cuenta que también era una víctima.

Horacio fue detenido y tenía dos defensores públicos que lo representaban. Le habían dicho que estaría mirando la vida sin la posibilidad de libertad condicional. Gritó por su inocencia. Después de unas dos semanas, sus abogados aparecieron con noticias positivas. Había ADN masculino desconocido en la escena del crimen. Horacio se sintió aliviado de que finalmente vieran que no era culpable de este crimen. Tenía la esperanza de que fuera liberado.

Lamentablemente, eso nunca sucedió... Pasaron unas semanas y sus abogados regresaron con noticias más positivas... Su ropa regresó y no había manera de que pudiera haber cometido este crimen con la muy poca evidencia que quedaba en su ropa, simplemente no coincidía con lo que debería ser la ropa del perpetrador después de un horrendo asesinato como ese, así como la falta de motivo que vino con él. Seguramente esto debería demostrar su inocencia esta vez... No tenían ningún motivo, sin importar cuánta evidencia se demostrara que no era Horacio, no lo dejarían ir.

Llegó abril de 2011 y fue juzgado por el asesinato de su futura cuñada. Fue un juicio de 9 días en el que el D.A. había declarado las cosas erróneamente, presentado pruebas fabricadas y prevarado. Además, un experto en salpicaduras de sangre, que tomó la posición, no fue honesto con el jurado sobre la evidencia crucial de ADN. Había llegado el momento de que sus abogados lo defendieran. Solo tuvieron un día para probar su caso, no había ningún testigo experto en su nombre debido a la falta de fondos proporcionados por el gobierno, no había nadie presente para refutar los testimonios de los expertos que estaban en su contra. Después de una deliberación de tres días, el jurado regresó con un veredicto de culpabilidad. Horacio Javier Pasillas Rodríguez Jr., de 21 años, fue condenado a cadena perpetua sin posibilidad de libertad condicional.

Horacio fue enviado a prisión, donde continuó luchando por su inocencia y por la justicia. El estado nombró a otro abogado de apelación que presentó una apelación de la condena ante el tribunal superior. Su apelación fue denegada rápidamente. Poco después se presentó otra apelación, que también fue denegada rápidamente. En 2016, después de casi 7 años en prisión, los padres de Horacio pudieron contratar a un abogado privado.

Lisa Polansky, que aceptó representar a Horacio, repasó su caso y vio que era un hombre inocente. Lisa aceptó luchar por Horacio y su familia. Trabajó durante seis años preparando su 35(c), lo que es una asistencia ineficaz de un abogado. En 2022, la apelación se presentó ante el tribunal de distrito, y los tres jueces estuvieron de acuerdo después de revisar su caso en que no tenía una buena representación en el juicio. Después de escuchar argumentos y testigos expertos que testifican en nombre de Horacio esta vez, el juez de distrito le concedió un nuevo juicio y anuló su condena de cadena perpetua sin libertad condicional.

Fue liberado de la prisión y trasladado a la cárcel del condado para esperar un nuevo juicio. Mientras tanto, el fiscal de distrito apeló el fallo del juez ante un tribunal superior. Eso detuvo cualquier movimiento adicional por el momento. Horacio y su abogado no pudieron liberar el ADN masculino desconocido. Mientras esperaban una fecha para el juicio, a la cima de una moción para una audiencia de fianza. El juez concedió una fianza en noviembre de 2023, pero desafortunadamente, fue una fianza muy alta. En la audiencia de fianzas, el abogado de Horacio presentó que había llegado a la luz que la ex científica forense de CBI Yvonne "Missy" Woods estaba ahora bajo investigación por anomalías en una muestra que presentó, lo que podría poner en duda todos sus casos aprobados, incluidos los de Horacio. Durante este tiempo estaban haciendo todo lo posible para tener a Horacio en casa. Nunca había tenido una cantidad en dólares que pudiera liberarlo de esta pesadilla hasta ahora. Cinco días después de que se le concediera la fianza, Horacio y su familia recibieron las peores noticias, después de diecisiete meses de estar en la cárcel del condado a la espera de su nuevo juicio, el tribunal superior anuló la decisión del juez que estaba otorgando su nuevo juicio. No habría un nuevo juicio, la fianza fue revocada y sería enviado de vuelta a prisión para cumplir su sentencia. Los sueños y las esperanzas de Horacio de que finalmente se hiciera justicia en su caso, lamentablemente se habían ido.

Por favor, ayúdanos a continuar esta lucha por él y las familias para encontrar justicia en este caso y finalmente conseguir al verdadero asesino que no solo le quitó la vida a la víctima, sino que arruinó a ambas familias y también a Horacio. ¡Por favor, comparte esta historia! ¡Por favor, firme la petición! ¡Por favor, ayúdanos a ser su voz! Por favor, mantenga a Horacio en sus oraciones y ore para que se haga justicia y se le devuelva a Horacio su libertad y su vida.

El objetivo es que el fiscal de distrito publique la evidencia de ADN masculino desconocido y ayude a atrapar al verdadero asesino en este caso.

 

From Polansky Law Firm

Order for New Trial Reversed!

Innocent Man being sent back to prison!!

After six years of hard-fought litigation, in 2022, Polansky Law Firm won a new trial for Jr. It was justice finally served.

However, the Colorado Court of Appeals reversed that Order the day before Thanksgiving 2023.

Horacio Pasillas Rodriguez, Jr., was convicted of first-degree murder in 2011, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In 2022, the Court ordered a new trial due to ineffective assistance of counsel.

The Court found that the trial attorneys failed to present expert testimony to rebut critical bloodstain pattern evidence offered by the prosecution.

Junior has been incarcerated for 14 years and has maintained his innocence since being first accused in 2009 of a brutal stabbing he did not commit.

Further, the DNA Analyst Yvonne Woods, who gave misleading testimony at the trial, is being investigated for wrongdoings.

We have asked the prosecution to release evidence for us to test and they continue to refuse. They are hiding the ball while the real killer remains free.

*We are not asking for people to sign this petition to automatically ask for him to be released because we "feel" he is innocent. We are asking people to sign the petition to bring awareness to the wrongdoings of the justice system and to get the DA to release the unknown males DNA that was collected at the crime scene so that his Lawyer can continue to PROVE his innocence and with doing that hopefully they can catch the person who really committed the murder.