Torres handed the death penalty

BENTONVILLE — Mauricio Torres showed no emotion Tuesday as he was was sentenced to death by lethal injection for killing his son.

On Nov. 14, a jury found Torres guilty of capital murder and first-degree battery in the death of 6-year-old Maurice Isaiah Torres, who died March 30, 2015, at a Bella Vista hospital. A medical examiner testified the boy's death was caused by a bacterial infection as result of being sodomized with a stick. The medical examiner also said chronic child abuse contributed to Isaiah's death.

Torres, 45, of Bella Vista stood at the defense table with his three attorneys as the jury entered the courtroom for sentencing Nov. 15. Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren then read the sentences to a silent courtroom.

The jury — seven women and five men — recommended a death sentence for capital murder and 20 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine for the battery conviction after deliberating for 2 hours and 20 minutes. The trial lasted five days.

Torres was stoic throughout the trial and only reacted once — shaking his head during testimony of a 21-yearold woman who claimed he raped her when she was a child. He didn't testify.

Karren followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Torres to die by lethal injection and set the execution for Nov. 15, 2017. Torres will receive an automatic appeal, and the date will be set aside, but Karren is required by law to set an execution date.

Torres declined to make any statements in court after the sentences were announced.

Benton County Sheriff's Office deputies then took Torres from the courtroom.