HOUSTON - Tony Earls Jr. was found guilty of manslaughter on Tuesday in the deadly shooting of 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez in Houston in 2022.

Earls was accused of shooting at the girl’s family’s vehicle, incorrectly believing a man who had just robbed him had gotten into it.

The jury began deliberating following closing arguments on Tuesday and reached a verdict an hour later.

Sentencing for Tony Earls Jr.

The sentencing phase of the trial began on Wednesday and will continue into Thursday.

Arlene's mother, Wendy Alvarez, took the stand on Wednesday saying, "I wanted her to grow older and come to me for anything. That’s the bond that I created with her. She was my best friend. We learned that leaving everything for tomorrow you just never know. There’s not going to be a tomorrow."

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