Father Who Left Son Near Interstate for Dead Found Not-Guilty
By: Josh Berry
Updated: February 27, 2012
A Nolan County Judge found the father who strangled and left his four year old son for dead, not-guilty by reason of insanity Monday.
Despite all the evidence against Carlos Rico and the judge even agreeing with the state that he did in-fact attempt capitol murder of his four year old son Angel, Carlos Rico was considered insane when he said he heard voices that told him to murder his son.
The first witness to take the stand was the detective who was on this case from the beginning. He commented there was a thin line between keeping it professional and not being able to help thinking about his own children.
Sweetwater PD Detective, Lance Richburg, said, "There was a different kind of attachment than on most cases."
Richburg has been on this case since the beginning. In his testimony he recounted what he remembered about seeing Angel that first day, signs of his father strangling Angel and cactus needles covering the boy's body.
In the end, while it was Carlos Rico on trial, the case wasn't about the man who said he heard voices to kill his son, but about Angel.
"Ultimately, irregardless of what goes on in the court room or what the findings are, the most important thing in this case to make sure that he is safe and that he has a viable future for himself to grow and enjoy life," said Detective Richburg. "I think that's where we're at right now with that."
The not guilty verdict doesn't mean Rico is off the hook.
"He's gonna get treatment one way or another and he needs to be medicated, with my understanding of the psychologist's testimony, for the rest of his life," said Rico's defense attorney, Michael Brown.
Rico's attorney did say that Rico has expressed remorse about the incident but wouldn't go too much further into it.
Detective Richburg has spent time with Angel on multiple occasions since the incident. He said he's happy as can, in foster care, apparently spending time at a day care.
Carlos Rico will spend 30 days in a maximum security state hospital.
After that, the same judge will determine if he should stay in the hospital or continue on as an out patient.
Despite all the evidence against Carlos Rico and the judge even agreeing with the state that he did in-fact attempt capitol murder of his four year old son Angel, Carlos Rico was considered insane when he said he heard voices that told him to murder his son.
The first witness to take the stand was the detective who was on this case from the beginning. He commented there was a thin line between keeping it professional and not being able to help thinking about his own children.
Sweetwater PD Detective, Lance Richburg, said, "There was a different kind of attachment than on most cases."
Richburg has been on this case since the beginning. In his testimony he recounted what he remembered about seeing Angel that first day, signs of his father strangling Angel and cactus needles covering the boy's body.
In the end, while it was Carlos Rico on trial, the case wasn't about the man who said he heard voices to kill his son, but about Angel.
"Ultimately, irregardless of what goes on in the court room or what the findings are, the most important thing in this case to make sure that he is safe and that he has a viable future for himself to grow and enjoy life," said Detective Richburg. "I think that's where we're at right now with that."
The not guilty verdict doesn't mean Rico is off the hook.
"He's gonna get treatment one way or another and he needs to be medicated, with my understanding of the psychologist's testimony, for the rest of his life," said Rico's defense attorney, Michael Brown.
Rico's attorney did say that Rico has expressed remorse about the incident but wouldn't go too much further into it.
Detective Richburg has spent time with Angel on multiple occasions since the incident. He said he's happy as can, in foster care, apparently spending time at a day care.
Carlos Rico will spend 30 days in a maximum security state hospital.
After that, the same judge will determine if he should stay in the hospital or continue on as an out patient.
