Terry Thompson Guilty Of Murder In Denny's Fight

HOUSTON, TX — A Harris County jury found the husband of a former Harris County Sheriff’s deputy accused of killing a 24-year-old man during a fight last year, guilty of murder. Terry Thompson was taken into custody after the guilty verdict and will be in court for sentencing on Tuesday.

He faces a possible life sentence. It was the second trial for Thompson, with the first ending in a mistrial in June.

Thompson was convicted of choking John Hernandez to death during a fight outside of a Crosby area Denny’s Restaurant in May 2017.

Terry Thompson encountered Hernandez on May 28, when he saw Hernandez urinating in the parking lot outside the restaurant. Thompson said when he confronted Hernandez, that Hernandez threw the first punch.

Witnesses said Hernandez, who was intoxicated never had a chance against a sober and much larger Thompson. During the melee,. Thompson’s wife Chauna arrived and ran to help her husband.

Video surfaced soon after the incident that showed Thompson on top of Hernandez while holding him in a chokehold, as his wife held Hernandez’s hand down.

During the fight, Chauna Thompson noticed Hernandez was not breathing and began CPR on Hernandez.

He died three days later at LBJ Hospital.

Chauna Thompson is also charged with murder in this case. Her trial is set to begin in April 2019.

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