Murder victim’s boyfriend petitions to get 15-year-old suspect tried as an adult

DALLAS — Chris Mullins began writing a heartfelt description of the woman he loved.

“She was quiet and soft spoken and always kind to those around her,” he wrote. “She had just graduated with honors from UNT (the University of North Texas), had just gotten her first job, and I had just helped her move into her first apartment a week before she was killed.”

From that description he went on to post an online petition on the website change.org, in an effort to turn pain into action.

He’s asking the public to help him pressure the Dallas district attorney and a judge to try the suspect charged with killing his girlfriend as an adult. That suspect is 15 years old. He was a student at Dallas ISD’s Hillcrest High School.

Police say DNA evidence links the teen to Ezquerro’s murder as well three sexual assaults in Dallas and two in Louisiana.

More: By day, he was a high school student. By night, police say he was a sexual predator.

Mullins wrote, “It is my belief that the day he decided to stalk, rape, and murder an innocent woman is the same day he decided he’s ok being treated as an adult.”

More than 4,000 people signed his petition within 48 hours. 

“I just wanted to do whatever I could to ensure he’s tried as an adult and a petition seemed like the easiest way to reach a lot of people at one time,” Mullins said on Monday. “If he’s tried as a juvenile he’ll get out, and I think when he gets out on parole, this will escalate.”

Mullins said he thinks the number of signatures proves people agree with him.

“I also hope it speaks well to her memory. She was loving and kind and it breaks my heart that this is how she ended,” he said. 

Mullins will send the signatures to the district attorney’s office. 

Dallas attorney Chad Ruback, who is is not involved in the case, said it’s unlikely that an online petition can sway the DA or a judge, but added that the signatures certainly don’t hurt. 

“The DA is an elected official and he will pay attention to public sentiment, but that being said, he is a man of his own conscience, he believes he has the ability to do what is right and he will do what is right,” Ruback said. 

Mullins expressed appreciation to the Dalllas Police Department for the suspect’s quick arrest.

“I don’t want any other family to go through what we’re going through right now,” he said.