The Fifth Court of Appeals has affirmed the murder conviction and life sentence of Deaundre Bernard Walker, according to an opinion issued Tuesday. Walker was found guilty in the 2024 shooting death of Gabriel Diosdado outside his home in Forney. Justice Nancy Kennedy, writing for the panel, rejected Walker's challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence, the reliability of accomplice testimony and the admission of prior bad acts. A Kaufman County district judge imposed the life sentence after a trial in November 2025.
Forney police responded to reports of gunfire at about 5:57 a.m. on Feb. 5, 2024, and found Diosdado dead in his driveway, according to the story. Diosdado's estranged wife, Mayra Lara, also faced capital murder charges. Lara testified that she orchestrated the plot, citing suspicions of infidelity and the belief that the victim kept about $30,000 in cash at his home.
On appeal, Walker's defense argued that the evidence was insufficient, citing a lack of direct physical evidence and challenging the corroboration of Lara's testimony. The defense also argued that evidence about a previous break-in of the victim's van should have been excluded. The appeals court rejected those arguments.