A 20-year-old Houston man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Wednesday after he woke up to find his prom date dead back in 2014, KHOU reports. Eddie Herrera admitted to choking 17-year-old Jackie Gomez during rough—but consensual—sex in a hotel room after the prom. According to the Houston Chronicle, Herrera says Gomez was alive afterward and they talked before both passing out. They had both been drinking heavily and had taken the prescription painkiller hydrocodone, the Dallas Morning News reports. Because of the substances in her system, it's still unclear whether Gomez died from an overdose or from strangulation. Gomez was found with bruises on her neck, and, the prosecutor said, "with a combination of the alcohol and the hydrocodone," it's possible "the body was already so depressed that it could not recover from those choking injuries."
Herrera was charged with first-degree felony domestic violence and faced a potential life sentence. He called his mom after finding Gomez dead and the two waited two hours before calling 911. In that time, his mom allegedly dressed Gomez. Herrera was found guilty of aggravated assault, but his attorney plans to appeal the 25-year sentence. Gomez's cousin told the court the sentence wasn't long enough. Herrera's mother, Melissa Martinez, is facing charges of her own. She allegedly booked the hotel room, lied to Gomez's mother, and gave her son and Gomez alcohol and drugs so they would "have a good time." (More domestic violence stories.)
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