DALLAS — Dallas County Judge Chika Anyiam on Monday again raised the bonds for Julio Guerrero, the murder suspect who's also accused of shooting a three-year-old girl in the head during a road rage incident and shooting at police officers during a standoff last year.
Guerrero had posted bond last week, after Anyiam lowered his bonds, but after widespread outrage from the victims' families, law enforcement and prosecutors, Anyiam raised Guerrero's bond on the murder charge.
On Monday, Anyiam raised the bonds on Guerrero's other charges, making his total bond at nearly $2 million.
That was about the same amount his bond was set at before Anyiam lowered them to around $500,000 earlier this month.
The bond reconsideration hearing was held after the district attorney’s office filed paperwork asking the judge to reconsider the bond, saying Guerrero posed a threat to society and was a flight risk.
Guerrero has been indicted in the murder of Francisco Villanueva, the shooting of a 3-year-old girl and three counts of aggravated assaults against Dallas police officers.
In court Monday morning, prosecutors presented new evidence and called a Dallas narcotics detective to the stand. He testified that Guerrero had possible ties to Mexican drug cartels.
Prosecutors said that because of the severe allegations against him and his possible ties to a Mexican cartel, the judge should reconsider and raise his bonds.
Defense attorney Tom Cox told the judge that his client was innocent until proven guilty and had the right to a lower bond. He also asked the judge not to consider media pressure in this case as a reason to increase Guerrero’s bonds.
Cox said it would "set a dangerous precedent for the state and media to place pressure on court.”
The judge said after hearing the new testimony and hearing more of the allegations against Guerrero in detail she decided to raise his bonds to nearly $2 million.
The courtroom was packed with Guerrero’s family members but two of the victims’ families also showed up in court. The mother of the 3-year-old girl told WFAA that it was emotional seeing Guerrero for the first time in court.
Villanueva’s family applauded the judge’s decision.
Guerrero’s family talked to WFAA and said he has no ties to Mexico and said the charges against him are just allegations and he should be allowed to be home while he awaits trial.