Austin Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Stepmother's Murder

AUSTIN, TX — A Travis County jury late Thursday sentenced an Austin man to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Pontrey Jones, 23, faced a possible range of punishment from five years to 99 years or life, the Travis County District Attorney's Office said. On Wednesday, a jury convicted the defendant of first-degree murder after deliberating for a total of three minutes. The jury heard evidence that one week before Christmas on December 18, 2016, Jones stabbed his stepmother, 38-year-old Magdalena “Maggie” Ruiz, in the chest with a kitchen knife four times in killing her.

The defendant’s father testified that on the night of the killing, he and the victim had watched the Dallas Cowboys game before he fell asleep. The father woke up to find the defendant stabbing the victim in the chest. The father called 9-1-1, prompting Jones to flee the scene. Officers from the Austin Police Department later apprehended Jones — by then stripped of his clothes — a few blocks away from the murder scene, according to the DA's office.

Later that night, when interviewed by police, the defendant admitted to stabbing his stepmother. He confessed that his intent was to kill the victim, the DA said, and said he did not regret his actions that night.

The defendant’s father told the jury that Jones had been homeless for a short period in the months before the murder, and that he and his wife had been allowing the defendant to stay in their apartment as he had no other place else to stay.

During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury heard from a number of witnesses who testified the defendant had received mental health treatment a number of times throughout his life for his mental illness. This included court-ordered inpatient and outpatient treatment, the DA said. The jury also heard evidence that Jones threatened his uncle with a knife when he was 15 years old and was deemed a high-risk inmate at the Travis County Jail due to his aggressive and erratic behavior.

The jury also heard from several doctors, including Dr. Marisa Mauro, who initially found the defendant incompetent. The defendant was sent to the North Texas State Hospital in Vernon, Texas, for competency restoration, the DA's office said. Mauro found the defendant competent to stand trial after his treatment, but diagnosed him with schizoaffective disorder. She later found that, at the time of the murder, Jones knew his conduct was wrong and was, therefore, sane.

Dr. Lee Carter also testified, on behalf of the state, that due to numerous factors the defendant had a very high rate of risk for future violence. Finally, the jury heard from Dr. Joseph Penn, a psychiatrist and the medical director for mental health services at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, who detailed the level of mental health services the defendant would receive if sent to prison.

The victim’s sister, Christina Ruiz, testified that her sister was kind, empathetic, and a beloved member of their very large family. She told the jury that, at the time of the murder, her sister had been concerned about the defendant’s increasingly erratic behavior and had planned to help him find his own apartment after the holidays.

“Today justice was served for Maggie and our hearts and minds are at peace, knowing he will not hurt anyone ever again," Ruiz said after the sentencing. "Thank you to the jury for protecting our community and giving us back that peace.”

Assistant District Attorneys Drew Rountree and Joshua Somers thanked the jurors for their time and careful deliberation. Somers said: “Maggie was a loving wife, mother, and family member. We are pleased that the jury has brought closure and justice to the family, and we hope the defendant will receive the continuous mental health treatment he needs while in prison.”