Suspected killer's case not going through court system quickly, judge says

Hearing for suspected murderer in Travis County

A Travis County judge warned a murder victim’s mother that the suspected killer’s case is not going to go through the court system quickly.

AUSTIN, Texas - A Travis County judge warned a murder victim’s mother that the suspected killer’s case is not going to go through the court system quickly. This came after the teen was arrested for multiple felonies while out on bond for murder.

On Wednesday, August 14, Travis County Judge Dayna Blazey told the court "This case is not going to go through the system quickly."

"It actually made me want to cry. It's frustrating. Today, to hear that, it hit something," Julieta Serrano said.

Man let out on bond commits more crimes

A teen charged with murdering a man in May 2023 was later released on bond. A year later, the teen is back behind bars charged with multiple felonies in Hays County.

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Julieta Serrano’s son, 19-year-old Brian Serrano was shot dead in Southeast Austin on May 15, 2023. The suspected killer is Ervin Coronado-Palacio. In December, he was able to bond out of the Travis County Jail. Late last month, Coronado-Palacio was arrested again for trafficking a person and two counts of sexual assault of a child in Hays County.

"Now with the new charges, it just creates a bigger, bigger mess," Serrano said.

In court on Wednesday, it was revealed the Hays County Jail didn’t have room for Coronado-Palacio, so he was transferred to the Haskell County Jail in North Texas. The judge asked the prosecutor to request a bench warrant to get Coronado-Palacio back to Travis County.

Brian Serrano

"Sometimes other counties don't want to honor them, they believe that their charge is more serious, or they want it to be resolved first, because sometimes what'll happen is if somebody is benched warranted, then they get lost in the system," Serrano’s attorney Daniel Betts said.

Serrano said she hopes he gets brought back soon, so things can get moving.

"He needs to do time for what he did. He took a life, so he should be forfeited by the state because he took my son's life, so he should be taken by the state," Serrano said.

Coronado-Palacio’s new defense attorney said he plans to go see him soon. The next hearing date is set for October 1, 2024.