Brownsville, TX (KRGV) — A jury on Wednesday found Rogelio Martinez guilty in the killing of San Benito police Lt. Milton Resendez.

The same jury returns Oct. 19, 2026 to decide whether Martinez will get the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The state is seeking the death penalty.

The case has weighed on the San Benito Police Department for nearly three years, according to Police Chief Mario Perea.

"I feel that justice was served. They made the right decision," Perea said. “The family got a little bit of closure today. It's a wound that will never heal; it puts a little bit of closure for them and for his wife and his family.”

Martinez's conviction came after four days of testimony about the night Resendez was shot during a high-speed chase in Cameron County on Oct. 17, 2023.

Jurors saw the bullet-damaged door of his patrol unit and heard how fellow officers rushed to help after Resendez radioed that he had been hit.

Jurors also watched Martinez's recorded interview with investigators, where he admitted firing at police during the chase. During closing arguments, prosecutors argued Martinez knew he was firing at an officer.

The defense questioned whether Martinez fired the shot that killed Resendez and argued the state had not proven he intended to kill anyone. Defense attorneys pointed to DNA evidence that connected another man in the chase to the gun that fired the fatal bullet.

Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz pointed at Martinez and held up a photo of Resendez during his final appeal to jurors.

Channel 5 News also spoke with the district attorney and Martinez's defense team after the verdict. 

"We still have a whole other phase of the trial, so it would be inappropriate to comment at this time," defense attorney Ed Cyganiewicz said.

The district attorney declined to comment and cited ongoing litigation. For the officers who worked alongside Resendez, the verdict marked a turning point.

"Today's verdict brings a sense of accountability," Perea said in a statement released by the city of San Benito. The city also extended its support to the Resendez family.

Watch the video above for the full story.