A week after Joshua Rocha was convicted of first-degree murder, jurors on Wednesday recommended he be sentenced to death.
Rocha, 28, had no audible reaction as the verdict was read in a packed Clay County courtroom. He admitted that he killed North Kansas City Police Officer Daniel Vasquez, 32, during a routine traffic stop in July 2022. Rocha, whose car held several weapons, was driving to a gun store.
Vasquez’s family cried and comforted each other as the sentence was read. Formal sentencing by a judge is at 1 p.m. Nov. 24.
Because of heavy pretrial publicity, a jury was selected from a pool of St. Charles County, Missouri, residents. It took the panel just two hours to convict Rocha on first-degree murder last Thursday.
During the trial, jurors were shown dashcam video that revealed Rocha shooting Vasquez in the face even before the officer arrived at Rocha’s driver’s side door. Prosecutors, who called the shooting an “ambush,” said the only time Rocha stopped shooting was to clear his jammed AR-15, an automatic rifle.
Video showed Rocha then getting out of his car to shoot Vasquez two more times.
“He let this man walk to his doom,” assistant prosecuting attorney Robert Sanders said during closing arguments. “Officer Vasquez never had a chance.”
Rocha, who surrendered a few hours after the shooting, told police that he was homeless and feared losing his car. Later, family and others testified that Rocha saw his father, a gang member, be arrested, as well as the death of some siblings.
Vasquez joined the North Kansas City Police Department in January 2021 as a recruit officer and was promoted to full officer after graduating from the KCPD Regional Police Academy in July 2021, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
“The conclusion of this trial brings a measure of justice for Officer Daniel Vasquez, though it cannot ease the pain of his loss,” North Kansas City Police Chief Kevin Freeman said in a statement Wednesday. “Daniel’s absence is felt every day within our department, but his spirit continues to guide and strengthen us. Officer Vasquez served with honor, professionalism, and heart. He treated every person with dignity — whether a colleague, a resident, or someone in need. His example reminds us why we serve, and what true courage looks like."
