Kyle man convicted of murdering infant sentenced to life without parole

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HAYS COUNTY, Texas - A Hays County judge has sentenced Mark Anthony Briones, who was convicted of capital murder for the 2022 murder of Annalyne Fridley Benavides, to life without parole.

Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins made the announcement of Judge Bruce Boyer's sentencing.

The sentencing announcement comes just days after what would have been Annalyne's third birthday on November 1.

What we know

On June 20, 2022, Briones was babysitting Annalyne Fridley Benavides, his roommate's seven-month-old infant. This was not the first time he had cared for her. 

Around 5:01 p.m, Annalyne was rushed to Seton Hospital because she wasn’t breathing and had no pulse. Doctors observed severe bruising all over her body. 

Annalyne was then life flighted to Dell Chidren’s Hospital where she was later pronounced brain-dead. 

Briones said that Annalyne had been acting normal until she fell off his 12-inch trundle bed and became lifeless. His story wasn’t consistent with medical evidence that showed she had detached retinas, anoxic brain injury, and subdural & subarachnoid hemorrhages.

Several medical experts testified that Annalyne's injuries, along with the bruising all over her body, were consistent with being beaten to death. 

The jury was also shown a photograph of Annalyne taken the morning before her death in which she appeared to be healthy and had no bruising.

The case was investigated by Kyle Police Department Sgt. Tim Owens and Det. Pedro Carrasco, and prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Katie Arnold and Rebecca Lopez.