North Texas teen gets life sentence for double murder in McKinney, fired 13 shots at fleeing victims

A North Texas 17-year-old has been sentenced to life in prison for killing two men during a 2024 shooting in McKinney, the Collin County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Emiliano Miguel Zapatero was convicted of capital murder. Zapatero was 16 years old at the time of the shooting.

Because he was under the age of 18 at the time, Texas law required Zapatero be sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 40 years. He was certified to stand trial as an adult because of the nature of the crime. 

Zapatero will not be able to reduce his time in prison with good conduct, authorities said.

The district attorney's office said the shooting unfolded on Nov. 9, 2024, along Chestnut Street. Officers with the McKinney Police Department found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Both men were taken to a nearby hospital, but were later pronounced dead.

The office said investigators who examined the crime scene recovered surveillance footage of the incident, which showed Zapatero trying to get a gun from another person there. After taking control of it, Zapatero shot both men in the head as they tried to run away. Prosecutors said he fired 13 shots before running away.

Zapatero was located and arrested several days later.

"This conviction and life sentence deliver accountability for the brutal murder of two men. No family should have to bury loved ones because of this kind of senseless violence. Our thoughts remain with the victims' families as they continue to grieve," District Attorney Greg Willis said in a statement after the sentencing.