CNN
—
The man who gunned down the Houston area’s beloved first Sikh sheriff’s deputy could face the death penalty after he was convicted Monday of capital murder.
It took jurors less than an hour to convict Robert Solis for the 2019 death of Sandeep Dhaliwal. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, court records show, in a sentencing phase underway since Monday afternoon.
Dhaliwal was Harris County’s first observant Sikh sheriff’s deputy. He gained national attention for helping change the department’s policy to allow articles of faith, such as a turban, to be worn while on the force.
In September 2019, Dhaliwal pulled Solis over during a traffic stop. At the time, Solis was wanted for a parole violation.
As Dhaliwal was walking back to his patrol car, Solis shot the deputy in the back of his head.
Solis represented himself at trial.